



T* A 







"oV 



^^-^^^ 




^AO^ 



V^ •\'^'^^* V---.C,** V*:^''<^ 





: %.*" .'^»°t ■\/'' '*^ 



^■i^^^vO 



0* 

• aV -^ oWMW* A^ vA 








O > . i 




} .4°^ 



•^^^^ -. ^^^f:*\'^ V- 



iV 










^^. 















v-^ 



V^' 




^*" » 



.♦ '^^ -% 







^°-'*. 















CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




A MiNATURE Theatre. 



f 



CARPENTRY 

FOR BEGINNERS 

THINGS TO MAKE 



BY 

JOHN D. ADAMS 

Author of "When Mother Lets Us 
Carpenter," etc. 



ILLUSTRATED WITH 
SKETCHES AND DIAGRAMS BY THE AUTHOR 




NEW YORK 
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY 
1917 



es> ... j 



Copyright. 1917, by 
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY 



Published September, 1917 



SEP 22 1917 

©Cl.A47;^B4 2 



FOREWORD 

There is no lack of textbooks telling the amateur 
carpenter with mathematical exactness just how to 
make a dovetail joint or a mortise and tenon con- 
nection. The beginner has no difficulty in finding 
ample instruction as to the theory of carpentry, and 
may read at great length precisely how to hold the 
hammer or manipulate a plane. With this phase 
of the subject the present volume has no concern. 
It is not expected that those to whom the book is 
addressed aim to become professional carpenters. 
The object of the volume is merely to present as 
clearly as possible an interesting and practical field 
to the young craftsman, and this is sufficient for the 
reason that if the work is made interesting he will 
soon find out all he needs to know about tools, and 
if the results are of practical value he will not lack 
encouragement. 

By presenting a great variety of articles ranging 
from the simplest to those in the construction of 
which some little assistance may be required, it is 
hoped that the book will be of interest to young and 
old, experienced and unexperienced alike. 

In the fore part will be found the more simple 

iii 



iv FOREWORD 

articles. As these are the pieces the young car- 
penter will attempt, the drawings have been pre- 
pared accordingly. Here the customary working 
drawings of the assembled article, with their nu- 
merous dimension lines, have been omitted. Each 
piece of wood, however, is delineated separately on 
a series of squares, which not only display the 
necessary measurements, but show the relation of 
the various lines all at a glance. The idea of pro- 
portion is thus accentuated and in a way would be 
impossible were the dimensional data displayed 
numerically instead of graphically. 

As the more elaborate articles are taken up, how- 
ever, this method is not only impracticable on 
account of the number of pieces involved, but is 
unnecessary to the more advanced workers. But 
even here the text may appear too detailed to those 
having training in woodworking, but the amateur 
will do well to follow the instructions closely, as the 
successful completion of a piece of furniture will 
largely depend on the order of preparing the 
various parts. 

Many of the structural details involved are not, 
of course, such as would generally be practiced in a 
factory where all manner of woodworking machin- 
ery is at hand, but are planned so that the beginner, 
with ordinary tools in good condition, will encoun- 
ter as little difficulty as possible. 



FOREWORD V 

TO THE HOME CARPENTER 

If there is one DON'T that should be impressed 
more than any other on the mind of the amateur 
carpenter it is DON'T HURRY. Before touch- 
ing a single piece of wood be sure you know exactly 
what is required and what you are going to do. 
Success in this sort of work lies in not starting until 
you have a clear and vivid mental picture of each 
part of the thing you are going to make and not 
stopping until you have made it look exactly like 
that picture. 

Mark out the necessary lines with a sharp pencil, 
and as you cut away the extra wood, forget all 
about the other pieces, and work on the one in hand 
just as though everything depended on IT. If 
you have an interest in what you are doing and will 
not hurry or become impatient, there can only be 
one result and that will be delightfully surprising. 

One should remember that wood seldom comes 
from the mill exactly according to stated measure- 
ments, so that it is always advisable to prepare the 
principal pieces first and then accurately fit the 
others in place as the work proceeds. 

DIMENSIONS 

All figures refer to dimensions in inches, and the 
conventional sign has accordingly been omitted. 



vi FOREWORD 

In the squared diagrams each of the small squares 
represents exactly one inch. 

MATERIAL 

The most satisfactory wood for making the many 
useful little articles described in the fore part of this 
book is soft pine. This wood is inexpensive, cuts 
easily and may be had quite free from knots. 
Often some suitable material may be had by taking 
apart grocery boxes, although these are frequently 
planed smooth only on the outside. The best plan 
is to go to the planing mill, where one can usually 
get quite a little stock of odds and ends at a very 
small cost. Among these there should be a few 
small boards of assorted thicknesses, such as one- 
quarter, three-eighths and half inch stuff. 

For the larger pieces oak is the most desirable 
and durable wood, particularly for furniture. Ma- 
hogany and walnut are beautiful woods, but are 
so expensive as to render their use prohibitive. 
Poplar is a wood that works easily and may often 
be used to good advantage in the construction of 
drawers and other parts of furniture not usually 
exposed. Cedar also works easily and takes a fine 
finish, but is readily marred. 

Before beginning the construction of the larger 
pieces the drawings and descriptions should be care- 
fully studied, and a list of the necessary pieces 



FOREWORD vii 

accurately made out, so that they may all be ordered 
at once. This will result in securing a more uni- 
form stock, both as to grade and thickness. 

Always keep a good assortment of brads and 
finishing nails on hand. Never use old bent nails. 
They are difficult to di^ive straight, and new ones 
cost only a few cents a pound. Many a piece has 
been spht by attempting to use a nail that is not the 
proper size. 

Sandpaper in different degrees of fineness should 
also be kept in stock. 

TOOLS 

The adjoining page shows the principal tools 
required. For most of the simple pieces one can 
get along quite well with only a hammer, saw and a 
sharp knife. Do not under any circumstances buy 
a box of cheap tools simply because there are a great 
many of them, for it is always much better to 
buy good tools one at a time as one can afford 
them. 

A good carborundum stone that cuts rapidly and 
an oil stone for finishing will later be found very 
necessary, as it is impossible to do good work and 
make reasonable progress with dull tools. As the 
work proceeds a bench having a carpenter's vise 
will be found a great convenience. Manual train- 
ing supply houses now furnish small benches that 



viii FOREWORD 

embody many useful features and take up but little 
room. 

A glue pot, with an outer water jacket to prevent 
burning, while not necessary, simplifies the prepara- 
tion of glue, and a pair of wooden screw clamps 
are almost indispensable where a strong joint is 
desired. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Foreword "i 

To THE Home Carpenter v 

Dimensions v 

Material vi 

Tools vii 

I Staining and Finishing 1 

II Things for the Little Ones to Make .... 10 

Swing Board 10 

Coat Hanger H 

Soap Holder . . . " 12 

Peck Measure l^* 

Tool Box 16 

The Bench Hook 18 

Candle Holder and Candle-sticks .... 19 

Candlesticks with Shades 23 

Match Box 27 

Tooth-Brush Rack 29 

Whisk Broom Holder 31 

Pipe Rack . 33 

Salt Box ^5 

Towel-Roller ^7 

Sleeve-Board 38 

Stationery Rack 40 

Bathroom Mirror 42 

Stationery Cabinet 44 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Stationery Rack and Inkstand 45 

Book-Racks 47 

Putting Up a Shelf 51 

Flower Bracket . 54 

Footstool 56 

Blacking Stand 57 

Shoe-Brush Box 59 

Flower Stand 62 

Slipper Box 64 

Umbrella Stand 68 

Waste-Basket 70 

III Furniture You Can Make 74 

Taboret 74 

Bench 76 

Study Table 78 

Desk with Book Shelves 81 

Plate-Rack 85 

Wall Shelves 86 

Clock-Case and Book-Rack 88 

Chest 90 

Suit-Case Stand 93 

Chair-Ladder 94 

Tip-Settle 97 

Library Table 100 

Hall-Rack 103 

costumer 104 

Telephone-Stand and Stool 107 

Library Table 110 

Armchair 114 

Dining Chair .117 

Music Stand 119 

Piano Bench 122 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Music Cabinet 125 

Log Basket ' 128 

Newspaper Basket 129 

Book Stand 131 

Magazine Stand 133 

Sewing-Stand 135 

Dictionary-Stand 137 

Chess-and-Checker Table 139 

Table 14.1 

Dining Table 144 

Bedside Stand 146 

Bedroom Chairs 148 

Buffet Table 152 

Morris Chair 155 

Smoker's Cabinet ; . . . . 158 

Writing Desk 161 

Shaving Stand 165 

Armchair 168 

Dining Chair 169 

Taboret 170 

Book Rack 171 

Morris Chair 174 

Settee • • 178 

Porch Swing 181 

IV White Enamel Furniture 185 

Bedroom Set, White Enamel 185 

Bedstead 189 

Dresser 192 

Wash-Stand 194 

Bedside-Stand 196 

Dressing-Table 198 

Dressing-Table Seat 200 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

V Lamps for the Home 201 

Candle Sconce 202 

Porch or Hall Lantern 204 

Desk Lamp 207 

Wall Fixture 210 

Library Lamp 213 

VI Rustic Furniture 218 

Garden Stand 218 

Rustic Bench 219 

Rustic Table 222 

VII Flower Boxes 224 

Rustic Tub 224 

Hanging Fern Basket 225 

Geranium Box 226 

Wooden Jardinieres 227 

Window Boxes 230 

VIII Bird Houses 236 

Log Houses 237 

Woodpecker House 240 

Bluebird House 242 

House for Jenny Wren 244 

Nesting Shelves 245 

Nest Shelter 246 

Martins 247 



CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



CARPENTRY 
FOR BEGINNERS 

CHAPTER 1 

Staining and Finishing 

Pine can be stained to closely match almost any 
of the more expensive and harder woods of which 
furniture is generally made. The hardware stores 
supply color cards that show the effect of their 
stains, which may be had in small cans and are 
easily applied. There are three kinds of stains sold 
— water, acid, and oil stain. Always use the latter, 
which may be applied with a brush or a rag, rub- 
bing it well in and finally wiping off with a dry 
cloth all that has not soaked in. Always try the 
stain on a small block before using. 

After the piece has thoroughly dried, which will 
take several hours, go over the surface very lightly 
with fine sandpaper, and then apply a coat of rub- 
bing wax, which also comes in small cans and is 
about as thick as shoe polish. Rub this in evenly 

1 



2 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

all over, rubbing with the grain and real hard for 
several minutes. 

This simple process results in a very practical 
finish, which may easily be restored when scratched 
by rewaxing. 

The foregoing answers very well for the more 
simple pieces, but with pieces of furniture that are 
to be used daily for years a more elaborate treat- 
ment is necessary. 

While accurate building is, of course, the essen- 
tial requirement, an otherwise successful article 
may be quite ruined by being poorly finished. A 
piece well constructed, substantially built, the grain 
of the wood accurately matched, the parts soundly 
fitted together and the general line of the article 
artistic, needs to be properly finished to make it a 
truly successful piece of work. 

Before beginning the finishing of a new piece of 
furniture one of the most important points con- 
tributing to success is to have the wood in good con- 
dition, thoroughly dry and as smooth as it is possi- 
ble to make it by the use of fine sandpaper. An- 
other feature that contributes greatly to satis- 
factory results is rubbing, long and steady; in fact, 
the more rubbing the furniture gets, the more beau- 
tiful will be the texture and gloss of the wood, no 
matter what variety of finish it may receive. Broad 
surfaces, of course, show the effect of rubbing more 



STAINING AND FINISHING 3 

than the small parts and the tendency usually is to 
put a great deal of time on them, but in really good 
work every part of a piece should have a smooth, 
satiny texture. 

Briefly stated, the method of treating a new piece 
of furniture involves three operations — namely, 
staining, filling and finishing. The stain, or wood 
dye, as it is sometimes called, is applied first and 
gives the wood the desired shade or color. When 
the stain is well dried a coat of filler is applied to 
fill up the pores of the wood, after which the 
finishing preparation of wax or varnish is put on, 
one or more coats being used, each carefully 
rubbed. 

Although this has been essentially the method of 
wood finishing for many years, great progress has 
recently been made in developing a wide variety of 
color effects and finishing products that give a 
durable and elastic, semi-glossy surface. Almost 
every one is familiar with the exquisite results that 
may be obtained on such woods as mahogany and 
oak, but few realize the attractive effects that can 
be obtained with such inexpensive woods as pine, 
cypress and chestnut. 

Staining, — It will be understood, of course, that 
an application of stain is only to be made where it 
is desired to alter the shade or color of the wood. 
Several of the darker woods look very well when 



4 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

finished natural, and ash and white maple are some- 
times kept purposely light. 

In selecting a stain consult the actual wood 
samples usually supplied by manufacturers to the 
stores handhng their products. If the stain has to 
be ordered by mail, send for the color-plates show- 
ing the actual effect on the wood before ordering. 
Carefully note whether the color effect selected was 
obtained on hard or soft wood, because the softer 
the wood, the more stain it will absorb, and the more 
stain it takes, the darker the resultant shade. This, 
however, may be easily remedied by thinning the 
stain with alcohol, gasolene or turpentine, as 
required by the directions on the can. The latter is 
necessary if it is an oil stain, which variety is the 
most easily applied for the reason that it dries more 
slowly. In any case it is safer when working with 
a new product to experiment with a block of the 
actual wood or on the under side of the article to be 
finished. Be sure that all drops of glue have been 
removed and that the surface is smooth and with- 
out greasy finger-marks. Handle the brush in an 
orderly manner, and do not paint a part simply 
because it happens to be near the brush. 

If, for instance, you are staining the square leg 
of a table, start at the top of one side and complete 
that side before starting another, taking due care 
not to carry the brush so full as to cause the stain 



STAINING AND FINISHING 5 

to trickle around the edges onto the new wood. 
The best brush for handling thin stains is that 
known as the fitch-brush. In such woods as 
Oregon pine or redwood, the grain may be greatly 
intensified by wiping off the surplus stain with a 
soft cloth before it has had time to soak into the 
more resinous portions of the wood. 

When the stain has thoroughly dried, which will 
take from eighteen to twenty-four hours, it will be 
found that the wood feels rough and that the stain 
has raised the grain. This is soon remedied, how- 
ever, by rubbing lightly with OO sandpaper, 
which, if held in the hand without a block, will give 
a smoother surface than ever. If, after wiping off 
the dust with a soft rag, it is found that more con- 
trast or a darker shade is desired, apply a second 
coat of the stain. 

Filling. — Wood fillers are made in two forms — 
paste and liquid. The former is used principally 
for open-grained woods such as chestnut, oak and 
ash, and the latter for soft woods such as whitewood, 
pine or cypress. The filler may be had in a variety 
of colors resembling the different woods, and also 
without any coloring matter, in which case it is 
called "natural" or "transparent" filler. The filler 
should be about the consistency of flowing varnish 
and be applied with a brush, thoroughly rubbing it 
into the pores of the wood. After five or ten 



6 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

minutes, when the gloss will have deadened, wipe 
off the surplus with a soft rag and then allow the 
piece to stand overnight. If the filler is found to 
be quick-drying, then only a small section of the 
surface should be covered at a time so that the 
surplus may be wiped off readily. The filler is 
only intended to fill the pores of the wood and 
should be wiped off against the grain. With open- 
grained woods, such as oak and chestnut, the most 
beautiful effects may be obtained by using a light 
filler, which does not affect the general color, but 
merely brings out the fine texture and flake of the 
wood. 

Quite often the staining and filling can be done 
more advantageously while the piece of furniture 
is in sections. For example, a table before the final 
assembling may consist of the top, the two complete 
ends, and the foot-board — four sections, all of 
which can be stained and filled before putting 
together, thus leaving only the finishing to be done 
after the table is finally set up. In chairs and 
other articles requiring upholstering most, if not 
all, of the finishing may be done before the leather 
or other material is attached. 

Finishing, — The wood is now of the proper color 
and presents a smooth and continuous surface, 
which must now be protected by means of the finish- 
ing coat. The most easily handled finishing mate- 



STAINING AND FINISHING 7 

rial is prepared wax, which is put up in various 
sized cans and can be well applied with a soft cloth. 
The polishing may commence about fifteen minutes 
after applying. It is usually done with a polishing- 
mitt, although a dry cloth will answer the purpose 
quite as well. No particular care is necessary in 
putting on the wax, as any overlapping does not 
show after polishing. 

There are many excellent finishing preparations 
on the market having wax in composition, which 
are sold under suggestive trade names. These are 
usually applied with a brush, and are put up in 
various sized cans, upon which will be found any 
special directions required in applying them. 

Should it be desired to secure a rather harder and 
more impervious surface than that afforded by a 
single application of wax, a coat of thin shellac may 
be applied before waxing or applying the finishing 
coat. Pure shellac varnish — that is, dry shellac 
dissolved in grain alcohol — is very quick-drying 
and is therefore a rather troublesome material to 
apply uniformly, particularly on a large surface. 
There are, however, many preparations marketed 
under fancy names that serve the same purpose as 
shellac and can be much more easily applied. 
After this coat has thoroughly dried go over the 
surface with the finest sandpaper obtainable before 
applying the filler. 



8 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

The high polishes so popular in the past were 
secured by the use of varnish, which is a resinous 
substance incorporated with oils, turpentine, etc. 
After each coat the surface is thoroughly rubbed 
with pulverized pumice-stone and linseed-oil. The 
dull, wax-like finishes, however, are now meeting 
general favor, deservedly so, for the reason that the 
surface may be freshened up at any time by a few 
minutes' application of the polishing-mitt. 

Fuming, — One of the most popular finishes 
among craftsmen is the rich nut-brown shade 
known as "fumed oak" — a finish that will harmon- 
ize with almost any scheme of interior decoration. 
In producing the genuine finish, the white oak is 
placed in air-tight receptacles containing pans of 
ammonia, the fumes from which enter the pores and 
effect a chemical change in the tannic acid, which 
is prominent in this wood. After a day or so the 
wood is discolored to a considerable depth and is 
ready for the filling preparation. 

When the amateur goes to the paint-store to pur- 
chase the necessary supplies, he will be rather 
surprised, if not positively confused, at the great 
variety of preparations bearing elaborate names 
with which he will be totally unacquainted. But 
keeping in mind the fact that these are only names 
for a filler, a varnish or a wax preparation, he will 



STAINING AND FINISHING 9 

not experience much difficulty in getting exactly 
what is wanted. 

Puttying, — No good carpenter ever uses very 
much putty, but when one is just starting there is 
sure to be a crack or a seam, as well as some nail 
holes, that will require filling in. Always work up 
the putty in the hand until it is soft and free from 
lumps. Never attempt to apply it to new wood, 
because the wood will absorb the oil and the putty 
will crumble out. See that the oil stain runs well 
into the places to be puttied and also work up a 
little stain with the putty so that it will match the 
wood. Never apply the putty until the wood is 
perfectly dry. 



CHAPTER 2 

Things for the Little Ones to Make 



MAKING A SWING BOARD 

"A swing board," you say, "that's easy. Who 
doesn't know how to make a swing board?" Of 
course it is easy, and because it is so it is a good 

example to show that 











Y" 






: : 






\ 
















~ 


2 
3 






r> 


— J 


~" 




^ 








- 








k. 










y 




SWIM<3 BOARD 





even in the making 
of the simplest things 
there is a right way 
and a wrong way. 
The usual way is to 
cut a V-shaped nick 
in each end, and, every time any one jumps off, 
the board falls into the trampled dust below. Here 
is the right way : 

Get a board about six inches wide and as long 
as the ropes are apart at the top of the swing. 
Square off the ends 
with the saw and 
then draw some one- 
inch squares as shown 
in the drawing. 



U51/MG JHE. 




7RY5QUARE. 



10 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 11 

Next take the compasses and draw the circles for 
the rope and the curve at each corner, placing the 
point of the compasses exactly on the points marked 
with the black dots in the drawing. Bore the two 
holes for the rope and saw out the tapering piece 
at each end so that the rope can just be forced into 
the holes. Round off the corners, sandpaper the 
edges and you will have a board that will not catch 
and tear or fall off. 

COAT HANGER 

A coat hanger is another simple thing to make — 

provided you go at it in the right way. A paper 

pattern should first be made, and for this we will 

need a piece of smooth wrapping paper large 




COAT HAN6ER 



enough for us to mark out three rows of one- 
inch squares, fifteen squares to the row. Tack this 
down and then tie a piece of string to a lead pencil 
in order to draw the two curves, which is a very 
easy matter when the other end of the string is tied 
or looped around a tack. For the top curve the 



12 CARPENTRY FOR BEGlNkiJflS * 

string should be thirteen inches long and nineteen 
for the lower. In order to place the curves prop- 
erly on the squares, keep shifting the tack until the 
two ends come out just right. We must now get 
a piece of wood about three quarters of an inch 
thick and fifteen inches long, and mark out the 
pattern on it. The hanger is then to be carefully 
sawn out with the keyhole saw, after which the 
edges should be planed smooth and rounded off and 
the whole piece finally gone over with sandpaper. 
Next bore a small hole in the center at the top, and 
then make a hook out of good stout wire, the end of 
which should be pushed through the hole and bent 
over to keep it from coming out, after which a coat 
of thin shellac will complete the task. 

SOAP HOLDER 
We must now try our skill at making something 



■ 


■ 


« 


IHH 


1 


B 


III. 

1 ' t r, 


y3l 




^~-= 


uui^^ 


^^ E It 


/ >^ll llnlllull ll 








^^^™ 






iirrr: 


::^::r:^ 




^^^i II i IIIIp 




^~-^ 






iiln 1 llliir^ 




^~-~^'**"» 




Vidlll 11 II llM'^ 








-^ 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 13 



consisting of more than one piece, and see how 
closely the different parts may be fitted together. 
A good example to begin with is the soap holder 
illustrated. From the working drawing may be 
learned all the necessary sizes when it is remem- 
bered that each of the small squares represents ex- 
actly one inch. The wood should be about three- 
eighths of an inch thick. First saw out the back, 
neatly rounding the two 
upper corners and boring 
two quarter-inch holes for 
hanging. Next prepare 
the front piece, and see 
that it is exactly the same 
length as the back. Both 
pieces should be sand- 
papered smooth and flat on 
the ends. Do not hold the 
sandpaper in the hand, but 
wrap it on a small flat 
block, or you will surely 
rub off too much on one 
side and so spoil the out- 
line. The two ends are 
now to be marked out, 
using a sharp pencil and 
the square, and finished 
accurately to line, after 




14 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



which the four pieces may be nailed together, using 
two or three small wire nails for each connection. 
The bottom is now to be sawn out just large enough 
to fit inside. Bore a number of quarter-inch holes 
in this, as shown in the working drawing, and then 
nail in place. 

Before using the holder it should be well oiled, 
and may also be painted with white oil paint to 
good advantage. 

PECK MEASURE 

What boy or girl is there who, when sent to buy 

a peck of apples, has 
not felt as though 
peck measures were 
getting smaller all 
the time ? If you will 
read what follows 
and study the draw- 
ing, you will be able 
to make an accurate 
measure of your own 
and will then know exactly what you are getting. 

You will require some long strips measuring 
half an inch thick and about an inch and an eighth 
wide. There will be ten side pieces twelve inches 
long, three bottom pieces eleven inches, eight end 
pieces eight inches, and four corner pieces six and 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 15 



three-quarter inches long. For sawing a lot of 
small pieces like these, it is rather slow to mark 
each one out with the square, and so carpenters 
usually have what they call a miter box, which is 
simply three boards nailed or screwed together so 
as to form a trough about four inches wide and 
about two feet long. Two pairs of saw cuts are 
then made in the sides— one at right angles to the 
length and the other at forty-five degrees, which 
is the angle the pieces must be cut when we want 
to make a picture frame. 
When you have a miter box 
and wish to saw a piece off 
squarely, it is only neces- 
sary to place it in the box, 
hold it tightly against one side and then work the 
saw back and forth in the slits cut in the sides. 




•J THE 


r 




1 1 1 


•J E.MD 


:o 

\ o 


^ 

^•\. 


1 


1 


•i y^^x/e, 


!0 
• o 


vS> 


1 1 




'J 


r. 


l^ — a- 






This is a very handy device, and if you make one, 
take it to the nearest carpenter and he will be glad 



16 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

to saw the slits for you in just the proper places. 

After you have cut all the pieces of the crate to 
the proper length, nail up each end complete as 
illustrated. Next set up the ends and connect them 
by nailing on the top and bottom strips of each 
side, after which it takes but a few minutes to nail 
on the remaining pieces. 

If you should attempt to make this crate out 
of strips not exactly the size given, some allowance 
must be made in the length of the side pieces, as the 
inside dimensions must not be changed, 

TOOL BOX 

It may be a slat on the chicken coop is broken, 
perhaps a picket on the front fence is loose or 

something is wrong 
with the wireless out- 
fit on the top of the 
barn — but whatever 
it is you will find it 
a great convenience 
to have a box with a 
handle so that you can carry the necessary tools and 
nails to where they are needed to make repairs. 

There are six pieces of wood in the box illus- 
trated, and you will get a clear idea of their sizes 
and shapes from the working drawing, in which 
each small square represents exactly one inch. The 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 17 



boards should be one-half inch thick, but if they 
are a little thicker it will not matter, provided you 
proceed in the proper order. 

First saw the side and end pieces off squarely 
to the exact length. Nail these together and then 
measure the size of the bottom, which should next 
be nailed on. The center piece is six inches wide 
and should now be cut just long enough to fit in 
snugly between the ends. Mark out the upper 
part as shown in the 
drawing, but before 
cutting off the tri- 
angle at each of the 
upper corners, bore 
two one-inch holes 
and cut out the wood 
in between them, so 
as to form the handle. 
Nail this piece in 
place, exactly in the 
center, driving the 
nails in through the 
ends and up through 
the bottom. 

Sometimes these 
boxes are divided up 
on one side with several thin cross partitions, so as 
to form a number of pockets for the different sizes 




18 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



of nails and screws that are generally used. If such 
a box is desired, one of the sides must be left off 
until the small partitions are securely fastened in 
place by nailing in through the center board. 

A box for holding knives and forks in the kitchen 
may be made in the same way as the plain tool 
box, except that it is not so large and the wood is 
thinner. 

THE BENCH HOOK 

In sawing small pieces such as the side boards 
of the tool box just described, it is often more con- 
venient to saw them on the work-bench instead of 
holding them on a box with the knee. To do this 

one must have 




what is called 
a bench hook. 
The way it is 
used is clear- 
ly illustrated, 
but its full ad- 
vantage can- 
not be appre- 
ciated until it is tried. It consists of a small board 
about four inches wide and eight inches long with 
a little cross-strip nailed squarely across each end — 
one on top and one below. The lower one catches 
the edge of the bench and tbe top one keeps the 



VJHAT 

XME: BENGM 

HOOK 15 FOR- 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 19 



board being sawn from slipping back. When one 
attempts to hold a piece of wood on the bench while 
it is being sawn, it will almost always shift back 
and forth with the saw, because there is nothing to 
push against, but with the bench hook one can lean 
slightly forward and very easily hold the wood 
steadily against the back piece of the hook. 

CANDLE HOLDER AND CANDLE-STICKS 

Our little problems thus far have largely been a 
matter of getting ready. We must now get right 
down to business and make something just as 
neatly as we can, so that when it is stained and 
rubbed it will look good 
enough to stand on the side- 
board. Let us try the little 
candle holder. 

First get a hard lead pen- 
cil and make it quite sharp. 
Carefully mark out the base 
board on a smooth piece of 
wood, making the corners 
exactly true by means of 
the square. Saw this out 
and then make the edges 
smooth by means of a piece of sandpaper wrapped 
on a small flat block. (Never use the sand- 
paper without the block if you want the edges 




20 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



to be flat and the corners sharp.) Hold it 
flat and rub back and forth without rocking from 
side to side, otherwise you will spoil the outline. 
If you have no vise to hold the wood in place, brace 
it against some projection to aid you in holding it 
steady. The square center block is next in order 



h24H^" 



.IT 

1 i 


U 


o 


ot 1 




3 — ^ 



ganulZ holder. 



and in sawing this out be sure to get it perfectly 
square and flat on the ends or there will be seams 
at the top and bottom when the other pieces are 
put on. Bore a hole in the center the size of a 
candle and three-quarters of an inch deep and then 
fasten the block in the exact center of the base 
board and square with the sides by nailing up 
through the bottom. The top piece is now to be 
marked out and the exact center found by drawing 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 21 



diagonal lines from corner to corner. Before cut- 
ting this piece out it would be best to bore the 
central hole for the candle, because the larger the 
piece of wood the less apt is it to split. This also 
applies to the hole in the small piece that forms the 
handle. The top and handle may be fastened on 
with some small brads, but a neater job will result 
if we use a little glue instead of the nails. Paint 
the top of the center block with glue and let this 
thoroughly dry. Then apply another coat and also 
coat the under side of the top block, which should 
then be put in place and some heavy weights placed 
on it overnight. The handle 
may then be fitted in and 
fastened in the same way. 

The candle-stick is made 
in a similar manner. The 
base consists of a small 
block on top of a larger one 
with a very small block on 
the bottom at each corner. 

The long center piece 
should first be smoothed 
up perfectly square, after 
which the corners should 
be cut away as indicated 
in the drawing, and a 
hole the size of a candle 




22 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

bored in the center of the top to depth of about 
three-quarters of an inch. These pieces may all 
be nailed together without any of the nails show- 



hi*-i 



-It 



■N 



•olt 



Wk 



*^JV-|-2i 



L... 



10 



R^ 



Ht 



tu 



CA/^DLE-^TICK^ 






ing, but the small top block should be glued on as 
we did before. As you sand-paper the edges of the 
different pieces smooth, test them often with the 
square to make sure that you are not rubbing one 
side down more than another. This applies par- 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 23 

ticularly to the bottom end of the long center piece, 
which must stand perfectly straight. 

The pieces should be stained to match the fur- 
niture of the room where they are to be used and 
rubbed with wax, as previously described. 

We now present a pair of candlesticks of more 




elaborate construction and intended to be provided 
with ornamental shades, which may be had in many 
attractive forms at the department stores at a very 
reasonable cost. Those who wish to make their 
own shades from cardboard and colored papers will 



24 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

find instructions for laying them out at the conclu- 
sion of this subject. 

The construction of the candlestick at the left 
should start with the base, which, after having been 
trimmed up perfectly square and sharp on the 
edges, is to receive a square mortise in the center to 
hold the lower end of the post. Then cut the post 
to length and tenon it to match the base, after which 
accurately mark off the fluting in the sides with a 
sharp pencil. A sharp gouge will be necessary in 
working on these half-round grooves. Work from 
both ends toward the middle, and slowly. Now 
build out the top by the addition of four small 
pieces, which are fitted together at the corners with 
miter joints. Attach with glue, and clamp firmly 
until dry. The four small foot blocks, and the 
block on top of the base are now in order. In 
making the latter be careful not to split it while 
mortising. Now attach these five pieces with glue 
and small wire nails. The hole in the top of the 
post for the candle is now in order, after which the 
post may be fitted into the base and made secure 
with glue and a couple of nails driven in from 
below. 

In constructing the base of the candlestick at the 
right some little care will be necessary in working 
the base block into the pyramid form. First 
square it up accurately and then draw all the neces- 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 25 

sary guide lines, after which take a fine saw and 
remove two sides opposite to one another. Finish 
these down to line before starting the other two 
sides. 

Mortise a square hole in the center and finish 




with sandpaper. Prepare the center post as in the 
previous case except that the sides are left plain. 
Make ready the four curved brackets, and in finish- 
ing their edges work up all four together so as to 
avoid rounding. Now fit together the whole, and 
after marking off the position of the brackets on 



26 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



the post and base, set up permanently with glue. 
Clamp tightly until the glue sets. 

To lay out conical shade: Given the top and 
bottom diameters and the height, make a paper 

pattern: on a large 
sheet of paper draw 
out the shade and 
then continue the 
slanting side lines up 
to an intersection ; 
with this point as a 
center draw a large 
and a small circle as 
shown, after which it 
only remains to step 
off a distance along 
the larger arc equal 
to the circumference 
of the bottom of the shade. This may be done 
mathematically, graphically, or simply by rolling 
up the pattern until the proper diameter is secured. 
In the construction of the square tapering shade 
use a cardboard frame and fill in the four panels 
with either plain or figured tissue. To make a 
cardboard frame first lay out a pattern of one of the 
sides, and cut it out so that it can be marked off on 
the cardboard. Repeat this operation four times, 
using rather thin, tough cardboard. The first and 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 27 



last sections may be joined by passe-partout tape, 
after which the top is filled in with a square piece 
having a round hole in the center just large enough 
to fit over the shade holder. 

MATCH BOX 

A match box, a place to strike a light, and a 
calendar all in one — a practical and interesting 
problem for any boy or girl carpenter. One can 
always find a neat calendar pad, which is easily 
pasted in place, and 
a piece of emery- 
cloth or sandpaper 
makes the finest sort 
of a place to scratch 
a light. Either may 
be renewed as often 



1 


— 


f 


^ 






J 






V 


























- 















































































w^ 'W^ Ai I 



as necessary. 

The woodwork is 
simple. First get a 
smooth flat board 
about three - eighths 
of an inch thick, 
four inches wide, and 
eight inches long. 
Mark this out lightly 
in one-inch squares, 
and then with the sharp point of the compasses 



28 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



set on the points marked with the black dots on 
the drawing, draw the necessary curves. Next 
join these up with pencil and ruler, and then care- 
fully proceed to saw away the unnecessary wood. 
Do not saw quite down to the pencil marks, as a 
small margin must be left for trimming the edges 
smooth with knife and sandpaper. Apply the try- 
square every now and then to make sure you are 
not cutting the edges off on the slant. If you can 
find some round article of a size that will just fit 










o V 




"^o 













































into the curves and wrap it with a piece of sand- 
paper, the curved edges can be finished much more 
neatly. 

The lower portion of the box is made of thinner 
wood — about one-quarter inch stuff. First make 
the front piece and then the ends. Nail these 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 29 



together and to the back board, and then fit in the 
bottom. 

If a calendar is not desired, the size of the back 
may be cut down a little as shown in the second 
match box, but the lower part will be the same in 
both. 

The wood should be stained, waxed and well- 
rubbed. The emery-cloth or sandpaper for strik- 
ing the light may be pasted on or tacked in place 
with brass-headed nails. Cut the piece squarely 
and round the corners slightly. Do not use a good 
pair of scissors or your best knife for cutting 
emery- or sandpaper, as it will take the edge off. 

TOOTH-BRUSH RACK 
Tooth-brushes look 
so much alike that it is 
really very necessary to 
have a separate place 
for each brush, and as 
it is not sanitary to 
have the damp bristles 
rubbing around on 
some dusty surface, we 
should either hang the 
brushes up or stand 
them on end. As most 
brushes have no holes 



1 


ii 












■ 


P 1 


^ (1 


■ 


m 


fes 


Ai — itlp=' 


■ 


1 


^ "innn 


'iiiiii 


iiili 


1 




i 


flllllll 


^ 





30 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



in the end, the best plan is to make the httle rack 
illustrated, which makes a very neat addition to the 
bathroom when it is white enameled. This enamel 
comes in small cans and is applied with a brush just 
like paint. While one coat will do, a much nicer 



• 








"T 





c 




1 










L 




































'//// 


y///> 


y///^ 


y////y 




c 


€) 




^. 


















V 


























^ 


rOOTH 










T 


y//A 


V/// 


///// 


y///^/, 


• 








_ ] 



finish will result if the first coat is lightly rubbed 
with very fine sandpaper and a second one added. 
Be sure that the first is not only dry but hard be- 
fore rubbing. 

The woodwork is very simple. The pieces 
should be three-eighths or one-half inch thick, and 
the proper sizes can easily be determined from the 
working drawing by counting the number of one- 
inch squares. The only difficulty you may have 
will be in boring the three holes in the top piece 
without splitting. This can be avoided by boring 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 31 



the holes in a piece several inches too long and then 
cutting off the ends to the proper length. As 
soon as the point of the bit comes through, turn 
the wood over and bore from the other side, so as 
not to make any splinters. Sandpaper the insides 
and edges of the holes perfectly smooth. In the 
bottom piece three hollow spots must be gouged 
out to keep the lower ends of the brushes from 
slipping around. Set the points of the compasses 
one-half inch apart and mark the corners for 
rounding. Attach the top and bottom pieces to the 
back by nailing in from behind, and after the 
enameling is done place a screw eye in the top for 
hanging. 

WHISK BROOM HOLDER 

The little whisk broom holder which we are now 
going to construct makes a very 
neat and practical present. We 
feel quite sure that any boy or girl 
who presents this to his or her 
mother — after it is all stained and 
waxed, with a neat little calendar 
pad in place — is pretty sure to be 
repaid with some nice new tools. 

The back and sides should be 
one-half inch thick and the front piece one-quarter 
inch thick. From the drawing it will be noted that 




32 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



the back board is five by nine. Square up the ends 
and mark out the outhne very lightly with a sharp 
pencil, remembering that it is not necessary to cover 
the entire board with squares as in the draw- 
ing. Use the compasses to get the proper curves, 
and when these are sawn out with the fret saw, 







r 


• 




> 

• 




























\ 


^ 

^ 




1 










\ 


^ 
^ 




i 










•< 
-< 


^ 




1 


^ 






^ 


k. 


^ 




ia 






: 


» 




( 


- BROOM 

_ OQT rVFR « 


s 


s 




^ 




\ 


^^ 


/- 




i xv 


^J-A 


X^JL. 


mL ' 


u 



rub the edges smooth with a piece of sandpaper 
wrapped on something round that will fit the 
curves. Before nailing up, hold the pieces together 
and put in the broom to make sure that it will fit. 
If it is very large or very small, some change may 
be necessary. Fasten the sides on by small brads 
driven in from behind, and while the front may also 
be nailed on, a neater appearance will result if it 
is fastened with glue and put under a heavy weight 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 33 



all night. Bore a hole near the top so that it may 
be hung up and then stain and rub with wax, after 
which paste on the calendar pad. 

PIPE RACK 

In the making of this pipe rack there is room 
for the young carpenter to exercise considerable 
ingenuity, particularly in arranging the decoration 
in the center. If 
a nice shiny pic- 
ture tile can be 
found, the wood 
should be hol- 
lowed out and the 
tile set in, or, if it 
is not too thick, it 
may be held on 
the outside by 
means of small 
strips fastened 
around like a 
frame. If a tile 
cannot be found, 
a picture printed 
on card or heavy paper will answer, but this must 
not be put on until after the staining and waxing is 
done. When the time comes, use a little glue and 
pile on heavy books to keep it from wrinkling. 




34 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



The wood should be three-quarters of an inch 
thick. The pattern may be marked out directly 
on the board or upon a smooth flat sheet of paper. 

After studying the 
drawing it will be 
noted that the out- 
line is controlled by 
parts of circles drawn 
from the five center 
points indicated by 
the black dots. 
When these circles 
are drawn, no diffi- 
culty will be found in 
completing the out- 
line with pencil and 
ruler. As the com- 
passes will not be 
large enough to 
draw the top curve, 
drive in a pin at the 
point A and use a piece of string looped around 
the pencil. Saw away the extra wood, cutting 
almost to the hne, then trim with the knife and 
plane, finishing with sandpaper on a block. In 
order to get the edge flat all the way round, test 
it every little while with the square, otherwise you 
are sure to spoil the outline. 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 35 

The pattern for the shelf piece may be readily 
sketched out on paper if three rows of one-inch 
squares are first drawn. The pencil and string will 
again be found useful in di^awing the long curve. 
Bore the holes before trimming the edges off, and 
as soon as the point of the bit is felt coming 
through, take it out and bore from the other side, so 
as not to tear off splinters. Sandpaper the insides 
and the edges of the holes smooth and then 
fasten the shelf in place with nails driven in from 
behind. 

The three large rings may be used for more pipes 
or else for neckties. If the rings cannot be found 
around the house, the harness store can supply 
them, and also the small strips of leather to attach 
them, all of which should be done after staining and 
waxing. 

SALT BOX 

It is always advisable to stand well with the cook, 
and one sure way of accomplishing this is to make 
the neat little salt box illustrated, and hang it up in 
the kitchen at the most convenient point. 

The wood should be about three-eighths of an 
inch thick and cut according to the working draw- 
ing, in which each small square represents exactly 
one inch. First make the back and then the sides. 
Fasten these together by nailing from behind. 
ISText fit in the front and then the bottom, which 



36 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



goes clear inside of the other pieces. When these 
are all nailed up, the lid should be fitted so as to 




lift up and down easily without 
binding or leaving gaping seams 
at the sides. After rounding the 
back edge of the lid, set it in 
place and very carefully drive in 
a small nail through each side at 
the top corner into the lid so as to 
serve as a hinge. The place for 
these nails is indicated by the black spot on the pat- 
tern for the side, but do not drive the nails clear in 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 3T 

until you have tried the hd to see that it raises up 
properly, and have also applied the necessary finish. 
This box may be white enameled or shellacked 
over the natural wood without staining. 

TOWEL-ROLLER 

Do not start to make a towel-roller until you 
have found a piece of round wood, such as a cur- 
tain pole, suitable for the roller. All the old paint 
and varnish should 
be removed and the 
surface sandpapered 
fresh and clean. The 
back piece should be 
about a half inch 
thick and twenty inches long, although this meas- 
urement may have to be changed a little if the 
toweling is of some special width. The shape of 
the end blocks is clearly shown in the drawing. A 
hole about a half or three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter is to be bored in the center half-way 

through, after which 
the wood extending 
from the hole to the 
top of the block is to 
be cut away, so that 
the roller may be 
slipped in. Saw off 





38 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the lower front corner of each block and attach 
by driving nails in through the back. The ends of 
the roller are now to be worked down evenly all 
the way round, so that it will run freely between 
the end blocks. 

The finish may be white enamel or shellac var- 
nish on the natural wood, depending on the wood- 
work in the room where it is to be used. 

SLEEVE-BOARD 

Ironing shirtwaists and pressing suits is hard 
work at best, and, as every girl and boy wishes to 
have their clothes look neat, the least that the young 
carpenter can do is to get out the tools and make a 




neat little sleeve-board so that every convenience 
may be at hand. 

Before starting the actual construction, consult 
with mother or sister and see whether the thirty- 
inch board shown in the drawing would be the 
most convenieifl size. Should some slight change 
be found necessary in the top, it is not likely that 
the lower part need be changed, but even should 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 39 

one wish to change it all around, no difficulty will 
be found as the small squares indicate the proper 
proportions. 

The top and bottom pieces are two one-inch 
boards, which measure seven-eighths after being 
planed at the mill. Be sure that the pieces selected 
have no knots, or the resin will come out with the 
heat. Draw a five-inch circle at one end of the top 



30 






n 


: 


n 


I 


ff 


I 


r 


rn 


1 


p 





n 






^ 




^ 




r 




F 




r 




:i 


2 




HZ. 


~ 




7- 


J 




5 


± 


- 




-r 


- 


^ 


- 




± 


Et 


w 



l^m 



o SLtLVE 
BOARD • 



board and a three-inch one at the other, and then 
join these by two straight lines. Saw and plane 
off the sides, and then saw the ends round with the 
keyhole saw, finishing them smooth with sandpaper. 
Next square up the base board and draw a two-inch 
circle at each corner, which should then be rounded 
off accordingly. It now remains to prepare the 
center piece, which is to be two inches thick. Bore 
two one-inch holes clear through at the points 
marked in the working drawing, after which saw 
out the V-shaped piece at each end and round the 



40 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



corners, so that they will not catch whatever is 
being pressed. Fasten this piece in place by driv- 
ing nails in through the bottom, and then nail on 
the top. In order to have these pieces properly 
centered, mark out the position of the center piece 
on both the top and bottom. All corners should be 
well rounded and sandpapered smooth. 

STATIONERY RACK 

A stationery rack is something that may be made 
in a very short time, but if it is made as it should 

be, with the outline 
sharp and true and 
the seams all closely 
fitted, it will require 
a lot of care and at- 
tention. 

The size will de- 
pend somewhat on 
the size of the sta- 
tionery one uses, but 
any slight change in the width and height need not 
affect the depth from front to back or the curved 
outline. 

On the end pieces mark out some one-inch 
squares, using the steel square to see that they are 
true. Set the points of the compasses exactly one 
inch apart and then with the pointed end on each 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 41 



of the four center points marked by the black dots 
in the working drawing, draw four quarter circles, 
and you will immediately have the proper shape 
for the ends. Before sawing these out with the 
fret saw, cut out a strip along the front of each 
end board just wide enough to let the front piece 
set in. Place the 
two ends together 
and sandpaper the 
edges flat and 
smooth. For the 
curves wrap the 
sand paper around 
something round, 
such as a can about 
two inches in diame- 
ter. The front and 
back pieces are plain 
boards, sawn off per- 
fectly square on the 
ends. If you have 
any trouble in keep- 
ing the edges from 
becoming rounded 
while sandpapering 
them, nail the front 
and back to the ends so that they will project be- 
yond just a trifle, and then after the bottom is fitted 




42 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



in you may sandpaper them off exactly even with 
the end boards. The center board now remains to 
be closely fitted in place, but before nailing this in, it 
and the rest of the rack should be stained the desired 
shade and rubbed with wax, as it would be very 
inconvenie^jt to g^t at tRe.in^ijle after the^ijenter 
piece is in * j)fece.J The neads of "Hlie small ^braSs 
used in the construction should be well set into the 
wood and puttied over. 

If you happen to have some large clamps and 
good glue, the front piece may be put on without 
nails. If you try this have everything ready before 
putting on the glue. 

BATHROOM MIRROR 

A combination of 
a towel-roller and a 
mirror is now pre- 
sented. Before pro- 
ceeding with it, first 
procure the mirror 
itself. While the di- 
mensions given are 
quite usual, yet there 
is no absolute stand- 
ard among the mak- 




ers. It would also be well to give some considera- 
tion to the towel supply and the required width. 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 



43 



after which it is a very simple matter to determine 

the remaining dimensions of this convenient article. 

The first object will be to make the rectangular 

frame with mortise connections, and then corner 




out the back edges around the opening to hold the 
glass. The vertical pieces, it will be noted, extend 
downward to hold the shelf -brackets, which may 
now be made ready. If a roller-towel is to be used, 
one bracket must have a hole clear through, so that 
the roller may be withdrawn. It then remains only 
to make the shelf and assemble the parts. Glue the 
mortises; fasten the other pieces with screws from 
behind, and glue. 



44 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



PCS. 

2 
2 

1 
2 



Mill Bill 

dimensions 
% X SM X 20 

%x 31/4x16 
% X 3% X 22 

^ %±3\i:X 5 



STATIONERY CABINET 
The little stationery-cabinet would delight a small 
sister or brother of school age, and be very useful 

to many an older per- 
son. For any one 
who has no desk it 
would be most con- 
venient, as a neat lit- 
tle stationery-cabinet 
practically trans- 
forms a table into 
a desk. Ink, pens, 
pencils, stamps, wax, 
and the seal may all be placed in the little drawer, 
and two sizes of stationery, envelopes, and corres- 
pondence may all be disposed of in the space above. 
Before adopting the dimensions given, consider 
them carefully in relation to your own special re- 
quirements, and any changes desired should be 
worked out full size on a sheet of paper. Then 
again, the thickness of the wood is subject to great 
variation, and may be reduced quite a little if the 
home carpenter feels competent to handle it. 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 45 



Those who can plane narrow slots across the two 
end boards to hold the ends of the top, bottom, and 
shelves, may make all connections merely with glue ; 
others will have to supplement the glue with some 






x> 1 


N 


1 1 


-^ 


'^ 


N 


O 




-//^ J 



STATIONERY- CABINET 



small brads. The entire structure should be as- 
sembled before making the drawer, which, with the 
exception of the front, should be made from as thin 
material as possible. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


%X 111/2x10 


2 


1/4 X 6 Xll^/^ 


1 


1/4 X 7 X 111/4 


1 


1/4 X 81/4x111/^ 


2 


1/4x11 X 111/4 


1 


1/4 x 9%xl2 



STATIONERY RACK AND INKSTAND 

Just think — a stationery rack, inkstand, pen and 
pencil holder, and calendar all in one, which any 



46 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

boy or girl may make for a few cents. Besides the 
wood, all that is needed is a small glass ink pot, 
such as is used in school desks. 

There are but five pieces of wood and these are 
only one-quarter of an inch thick. First mark out 
the sides very carefully. Make the curves with 




the compasses and then cut the wood exactly to 
line. The upright pieces are set into slots cut in 
the sides, so be sure that these slots are just large 
enough to make a tight fit. After the two sides 
are cut to line, place them together, sandpaper 
the edges flat and smooth, and hollow out the 
places for the pen and pencil. The two upright 
pieces require no attention aside from having their 
ends made smooth and the corners rounded. The 
last of the five pieces is for the ink pot, and should 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 47 




have a hole bored or sawn in the center just large 
enough to hold it 
firmly. Fasten each 
side to this piece with 
two nails and then 
set the uprights in 
place, applying a lit- 
tle glue in the slots 
already cut in the 
side pieces. Before 
allowing these to set, 
however, be sure that 

the sides are perfectly parallel and stand straight. 
It now only remains to find something round for 
a cover for the ink pot. If a suitable cover can- 
not be found, simply cut out a neat disc of thin 
wood and fasten a small loiob on top in the center. 
It will often be found more convenient to stain 
and wax the different pieces after they are all per- 
fectly fitted, but before nailing them together. 
When the article is completed all finger marks 
should then be removed by going over the surface 
again with the waxy rag. 

BOOK-RACKS 

While we are furnishing up our desk it would be 
well to consider the question of a book-rack for it. 
The rack illustrated is large enough to hold all of 



48 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




your study books or 
gjl may be used to hold 
the current books 
being read by the 
rest of the family. 

The end boards 
should be three-quar- 
ters of an inch thick 
and carefully marked 
out, as shown in the working drawing. If the sharp 
point of the compasses is placed exactly at the 
center points indicated by the black dots, no diffi- 
culty will be found in getting the curves. The 
only trouble will be in cutting the edge of the 
board exactly true with your lines. Do not saw 
too close, and when trimming off, frequently 
test with the try-square, or you will be almost 
sure to cut away too much on one side. When 
both ends are finally worked down to line, 
place them back to back, with penciled sides out, 
and sandpaper the edges until they are exactly 
alike. 

The two side boards should be about five-eighths 
of an inch thick and require only to be sawn off 
perfectly square on the ends and exactly the same 
length. Mark the places where these go on the 
end pieces and then nail the whole together. If you 
happen to know how to use dowel pins, the pieces 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO IMAKE 49 









— 




>. 


~ 




r- 


vx 




r 


^ 


/ ", 


.,.'' 


'^ 






^'i 


y 


■<• 


--' 


) 


'\ 


^ '* 




1. 




/ 


( 




JZ. 




y 




/ 


z:^ 








may be fas- 
tened without 
nails. Dowels 
are simply 

short pieces of 
round wood. 
When a con- 
nection is to be 
made in this 
manner a hole 
just large enough to let the pin fit in tightly is 
bored in each of the two pieces exactly opposite. 
The pin is then coated with glue and driven into one 
of the holes. When the glue has set the other 
pieces may be temporarily driven on, and if every- 
thing fits together properly the pieces are taken 
apart and some glue apphed to the other half of the 
pin, after which they are put together again for 
good. Usually not less than two dowel pins are 
used for each connection. 

Stain, and if nails are used, putty over the heads 
with stained putty and rub with wax — all as pre- 
viously described. 

The second book-rack is made entirely of three- 
quarter-inch square strips. Should you desire to 
increase the extent, the size of the material used 
will have to be increased. When it is explained 
that all connections in this piece are "cross-lapped," 



50 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

that is, each piece is reduced to one-half its thick- 
ness at the point of crossing, little more need be said 
as to the construction. 




First cut the several pieces to the proper lengths 
and then point up the ends, taking due care that all 



C 



Z 



3/de V/cw 



T 



_^jJL 



J7z 






£ndV/ew 



b g ^^-^ s 



BOOI<. RACK 



pieces are perfectly square and of the same size. 
With all possible accuracy mark off with a sharp 
pencil the various places to be cut out. Work up 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 51 

each end, putting the pieces together with glue and 
clamping tightly. Finally connect the two ends 
with the side pieces. The four feet should each be 
covered with felt. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 
4 
2 

2 


%x%xi8y2 

%x%x 7^/2 

%X%X 8^/2 

¥ix%x 8 


PUTTING 


r UP A SHI 



Almost every one knows how to put up the ordi- 
nary shelf — simply screw two brackets to the wall 




and a board on top, and the job is done. But sup- 
posing there is no room for brackets, as, for ex- 
ample, is usually the case over the kitchen sink, — 
what then? Just turn the brackets upside down 
and "hang" the shelf in place. If the place where 



52 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the top screws are to be put, stands out from the 
wall, set the brackets a little forward on the shelf 
board so that the back edge will naturally hang 
against the wall and you will find this sort of a 
shelf very safe and steady. 

A much more interesting task, however, is to 




make the small clock bracket illustrated. The lay- 
ing out of the sides is in itself an interesting 
lesson in curves. By examining the working draw- 
ing we find the back is eight by ten inches. Get 
a smooth flat board not less than one-half inch 
thick and lightly mark out the one-inch squares 
with a sharp pencil. Examine the drawing again 
and you will notice that there are two side curves, 
a top curve and one for the bottom. Each curve 
has its own center, the position of which is clearly 
indicated in the drawing by a black dot. Place 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 53 



the sharp point of the compasses on each of these 
dots and spread the pencil point until it touches 
the outside line at the top, bottom or side of the 
board, as the case may be. With these curves 
drawn, the rest of the 
outline may be finished 
in a few minutes. 

The curve of the small 
piece under the shelf 
board is not part of a cir- 
cle and must be sketched 
in freehand after the 
small squares are drawn 
as a guide. The shelf 
board requires no special 
attention after the ends 
are made perfectly 
smooth and square, ex- 
cept to have its corners 
rounded. Fasten this 
to the back board by 
means of nails driven in 
from behind, and then 
attach the bracket piece 
in the same manner, 
after which drive in two 
nails down through the shelf. 

The bracket may be hung upon the wall by a nail 




54 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

in the center, or better still, by one at each corner. 
In this case the holes should be about a quarter of 
an inch in diameter, and in order to hide the heads 
of the two nails set in the wall, shape up two three- 
quarter inch squares of wood about one-quarter of 
an inch thick, and then whittle them to a dull point, 
as illustrated. By gluing one of these on at each of 
the upper corners, the supporting nails will be com- 
pletely hidden. 



FLOWER BRACKET 




The department stores 
nowadays sell so many beau- 
tiful brass and pottery 
flower jars at a very low 
price that there is no excuse 
for any house not having a 
lovely hanging fern, pro- 
vided there is a young car- 
penter at hand to make a 
nicely stained and waxed 
bracket from which to sus- 
pend it. From our draw- 
ing it will be noted that a 
suitable bracket is not hard 
to make, as only three pieces 
of wood are used. 

The back board is four by 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 55 



nine inches and should be about one-half inch thick. 
Three separate curves enter into the form of the top 
line, but these may be very quickly drawn with the 
compasses if you make sure they are centered ex- 
actly on the points marked with the black dots in the 
working drawing. Saw away the extra material 
with the fret saw, and finish the edges smooth with 
plane and sandpaper. Plane up a strip long 
enough to make the two pieces that project out, 
sawing off the one perfectly square and the other 
at forty-five degrees, which is the angle made by 
folding a square of paper in two from opposite 
corners. Fasten the upper one in place by nailing 
in through the back 
and then nail on the 
slanting brace, which 
operation will re- 
quire a little care in 
order to keep from 
bending the top piece 
out of place. 

This bracket will be 
found large enough 
for almost any or- 
dinary flower jar. 
Sometimes, however, 
long, narrow, point- 
ed jars are used, in 



(^l A - 


/ 


X^ - 




I- 




^ 




■3 




^ \ i 


\ 


x:_ n 


D 

'1 


^=N ^ 


^'^^L. -' 



riOlffiF^BRACKEJ 



56 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

which case a more slender bracket would be appro- 
priate. When a change, such as this, appears 
desirable, always mark out the lines of the new 
piece full size on a sheet of paper in order to be sure 
that it will look well. 

FOOTSTOOL 

A footstool is always a handy article to have 
around, and one with a place for the hand, so that 
it may be readily carried about, is especially useful 

in the kitchen. Haven't 
you noticed how the cook 
likes to hold the pan in 
her lap when shelling peas 
or cleaning strawberries ? 
— and how often the shelf 
in the pantry is just a few inches too high! Our 
drawing shows how to make a footstool out of five 
pieces only. 

The material should be seven-eighths of an inch 
thick, which is the thickness of one-inch boards 
after the mill gets through planing them. First 
trim off the ends perfectly square and then saw 
out the feet with the fret or keyhole saw. Saw 
out each of the upper corners just enough to allow 
the side pieces to fit in evenly with the edges. The 
side pieces are now to be marked out in accordance 
with the drawing and their edges worked down 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 57 

smoothly and square with the sides, after which 
only the top remains. Saw the ends of this piece 
off squarely, round the corners, and then with the 
plane round off the top edge all the way around. 
To form the opening for the hand, bore two holes 




and saw out the wood in between, after which the 
edges should be worked smooth with sandpaper. 
Nailthe sides to the two ends, and then fasten on 
the top. This may be done by nailing in through 
the top, or more neatly by screws put in from 
underneath from the inside at an angle. 

BLACKING STAND 

Blacking one's shoes is no trouble at all when by 
merely lifting a lid you can find everything right 



58 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




at hand — brushes, pohsh and all — including a 
block to keep your foot from slipping. This is 

exactly what the black- 
ing stand illustrated 
provides. 

The working draw- 
ing clearly shows the 
method of laying out 
the end boards. These 
and all of the other 
pieces are made of inch 
lumber after it has 
been dressed smooth. 
On the center hne of each end mark a point 
five inches from the bottom, and, with the sharp 
point of the compasses placed there draw a six- 
inch circle, after which draw a line from each 
side of this circle down to a point on the bot- 
tom hne an inch and a half from the outside 
corner. Saw out the piece in between, using the 
regular saw on the straight part and the keyhole 
saw on the curves. Finish the edges smooth and 
saw out a strip at each side near the top so that the 
side pieces will fit in. The other pieces are of the 
sizes noted in the drawing and require nothing 
further than trimming up true and square with 
smooth flat ends. 

In putting together, first nail the sides to the 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 59 



ends, and then fit in the bottom, naihng it in place 
through the sides and ends. Next nail on one-half 
of the top, and then 
hinge the other half to 
it, after which it only 
requires the addition of 
the foot block to com- 
plete the stand ready 
for staining. 

The most desirable 
hinges for this purpose 
are the kind know as 
butt hinges. A pair of 
these will be necessary, 
and the width should 
be about equal to the 
thickness of the top 
boards. In order that 
there will not be a 
space between the two halves of the top, the wood 
should be cut away, so as to let the hinges fit in 
even. 

SHOE-BRUSH BOX 

Sometimes there is no convenient place to keep 
a blacking box, in which case the best we can do 
is to make a shoe-brush box and hang it on the 
wall. The back space will hold a pair of brushes. 



2SIDE.5 6x16 
2T0P PCS 14-9 
BOTTOM I0i-I4i 


































_^/^^ 


2:;^ 


^ 


,'^\ 




t \, 


- i\. 


Jx 


IS 


1\ 


r V 


^/ j 


_i 


C 


^1 


t 


DLAGK/^QSTMD 



60 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



and the smaller one in front is for the polish, the 

daubing brush and pohsh- 
ing rag. The construction 
is not difficult, and when 
the box is stained a dark 
brown or painted black it 
presents a neat appear- 
ance. 

The two side pieces 
should be about a half inch 
thick, and the back, front 
and center piece about 
three-eighths. To get a 
pattern for the sides, mark 
"^ .V out four ro^^ of ;x)ri<e^iinch 
squares, eight in a roNv. 'Tsike a pair of compasses 
and with the sharp point set on the black dots 
marked on the working drawing, draw in the 
curves, and you will have the correct shape for the 
end almost at once. This may all be done on a flat 
sheet of paper, after which the pattern is cut out 
with the scissors so that it may be transferred to the 
wood. Another way is to draw the squares directly 
on the wood in the first place. This is the more 
accurate way, and if one edge of the wood is planed 
exactly straight, so that the square will slide along 
nicely, the small squares may be very quickly and 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 61 



accurately drawn. Always use a sharp pencil, and 
do not bear down hard. When the outline is com- 
plete saw it out with the 
fret saw, after which the 
edges are to be trimmed 
and sandpapered. The 
two sides should be exactly 
the same when placed to- 
gether. 

The back board is next 
in order, and should be 
marked and cut out in the 
same way as the sides. 
Bore a quarter-inch hole 
near the top in the exact 
center for hanging, after 
which prepare the front 
board, which requires no 
further attention after the 
ends are trimmed off 
smooth and square. Be 
sure that this piece is ex- 
actly as long as the back is 
wide. 

The putting together 
may now begin. Nail 
through the back into the sides, and then nail on 




62 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the front, after which the bottom should be cut so 
that it will fit snugly inside. Nail this in place, and 
then fit in the center piece, which is fastened in 
place by nailing in through the sides. 



FLOWER STAND 

There is nothing that adds so much to the ap- 
pearance of an indoor plant as to place the pot or 
jar in which it is growing on an attractive stand. 

The stand illustrated is 
very suitable for this, 
and may also, of course, 
be used for other pur- 
poses. 

The construction 
should commence with 
the side pieces, which 
are one-half inch thick. 
These are all identical, 
except that two of the 
four are one inch nar- 
rower, so that when the other two are nailed to 
them the stand will be exactly as wide on one side 
as another. 

On a smooth sheet of paper proceed to mark out 
the outline in accordance with the working draw- 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 63 



ing, taking particular care to shape the feet prop- 
erly. Place the sharp point of the compasses on 
the small dots, and draw the necessary circles. If 
these do not cut the small squares exactly as shown, 
it means that you haven't got the proper center 
points. In forming the large opening, first draw 
the seven-inch circle, and then the two smaller 
curves near the top, after which a piece of string 
will be necessary for the side curves. The radius 
of these will be 
exactly seventeen 
inches, and the cen- 
ters are on the same 
cross line as the cen- 
ter of the seven- 
inch circle. Simply 
run this line out to 
each side, and drive 
in a tack at the 
proper point. When 
the outline is com- 
plete, cut out with a 
sharp knife or very 
small pair of scis- 
sors, and then place 
it on each of the 




FLOWER STAND 



four side pieces, which should then be marked out 



64 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

with a sharp pencil. Saw out the large opening, 
and shape up the feet, all ver}^ carefully, so as not 
to tear off any splinters and thus spoil the outline. 
Trim off the edges, and smooth with sandpaper, 
after which the four sides may be nailed together. 

A bottom board is now in order, and should be 
made perfectly square and just large enough to fit 
snugly inside. The top board, you will note, is to 
be large enough to project an inch and a half all the 
way round, and requires no further attention after 
the ends are worked down with sandpaper on a 
block until they are smooth and flat. On the under 
side of this nail a square piece just large enough to 
fit inside, after which the top may be put in position 
and fastened down by nailing in through the four 
sides into this under piece. 

Stain as desired, and carefully putty all nail 
holes, after which a good rubbing with wax will 
complete the piece. 

SLIPPER BOX 

The slipper box illustrated is really a box with 
a door in front, the top being padded so as to make 
a comfortable leg rest or temporary seat. When 
father or uncle sits down in the evening in the big 
chair, his slippers are right at hand, and also a com- 
fortable place to put his feet. At first glance this 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 65 




piece of furniture will appear rather hard to make, 

but when you learn how to go about it, it is quite 

simple. Perhaps 

you may have to get 

a little assistance 

when it comes to 

padding the top, but 

there surely will be 

no trouble in that. 

All of the pieces 
should be one-inch 
dressed lumber. 

Choose pieces that 
have a pretty grain and are free from knots. Start 
with the two ends. Plane up the edges so that the 
two boards are exactly the proper width, and then 
lightly mark off the necessary squares with a sharp 
pencil, using the steel square to keep the lines paral- 
lel. Place the sharp point of the compasses on the 
black dots shown in the working drawing, and draw 
the necessary curves. The top curve, however, can- 
not be drawn with the compasses as it is too large. 
The center point for this is exactly in the middle of 
the board at the bottom, and the best way is to drive 
in a tack at this point and use a string. The differ- 
ent curves must now be joined up with pencil and 
ruler, and when the outline is satisfactorily com- 
pleted, the sawing out should begin. Saw very 



66 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



carefully so as not to 
tear off any splinters, 
and then take the 
plane and knife and 
trim down to line. 
Test the edges^ fre- 
quently, or you will 
be sure to trim off 
more toward one side 
than toward the 
other. When the 
two are finally 
shaped up, place 
them together, and 
sandpaper the edges 
smooth with a 
piece of sandpaper 
wrapped on a block. For the curves, wrap the 
paper on a round piece of wood. 

The top, bottom and back boards are all plain 
pieces of exactly the same length — all sixteen inches 
long. The top piece is the same width as the ends, 
while the bottom is an inch and a half narrower. 
The width of the back piece is ten and a quarter 
inches. Before attempting to put together, pre- 
pare four square strips, one inch wide and seven 
inches long. Mark out on the ends exactly where 



1 


< 


^-^ 


— - 










•- 


^-» 


>!^ 


















"J , 




^ 


^^^ 


^^^ 


^ 


.^ 


^ 


;^ 


y 


^S 


^ 




0, 














M 






^ 














M 


f 




\i 














//a 






■A 














f^ 






M 














% 


' • 




\^ 














n 




- 


M 














N 




<0. 














N 






li 














.■^;- 


^ 




^ 














Y'} 






^:$^ 


i^ 


^ 


^ 


y 


iS 


^ 


^i 








/ 








"^ 


\ 










f 










> 






SLIPPER BOX 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 67 

the top and bottom pieces come, and then fasten on 
these strips to the inside surfaces of the end boards, 
all as illustrated in the skeleton view. When the 
strips are securely 
fastened in place, it 
is a very simple mat- 
ter to fasten the top 
and bottom pieces 
to them. In all this 
we may use glue 
and nails, although 
a carpenter would 
probably use screws. 
Do not fasten any piece in place until you have 
fitted them aU together to make sure that every- 
thmg is all right. The back is next to be put in 
position, and should be just wide enough to fit 
snugly in between the top and bottom pieces with- 
out leaving any seams. It is then fastened in place 
by nailing in through the top and bottom. The 
front is the same as the back, except that it is just 
enough smaller all the way round to permit of it 
bemg used as a door. This is to be attached with 
two hinges at the bottom, and if strap hinges of 
brass or copper can be obtained at some arts-and- 
crafts store, they should be used, but if not, simply 
get the best looking hinges you can at the hardware 




68 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

store. A small knob or cupboard catch to match 
the hinges should also be purchased and placed in 
the center near the top of the door. 

The staining and waxing are now in order, after 
which the top is to be upholstered. Go to the 
furniture store and get sufficient upholstering 
material to tightly pad the top. Pile this on evenly 
and draw a piece of cotton or canvas over it, tack- 
ing it in place after stretching evenly. With the 
tape, measure the correct size for the final top 
covering of imitation leather, allowing enough for 
turning the edges under. This and about three 
dozen fancy tacks will complete the job. Tack the 
leather along one edge of the top board first and 
then along the other, after which fasten the ends. 
Be sure the tacks are evenly spaced. 

UMBRELLA STAND 

As soon as one decides to make an umbrella 
stand he should be on the outlook for a shallow 
round pan about six inches in diameter, to place in 
the bottom to catch the drippings from the wet um- 
brellas. While a tin pan may be made to answer 
by enameling it, a brass or copper one will look bet- 
ter and be more durable. 

The construction should begin with the two side 
boards, which should be smooth, free from knots, 
and about three-eighths of an inch thick. First 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 69 



plane the edges off until each piece is exactly eight 
inches wide, and then mark out the outline in ac- 
cordance with the working 
drawing, in which each 
square represents one 
square inch. It will be un- 
derstood, of course, that it 
is not necessary to cover 
the entire board with 
squares, although enough 
should be drawn at each 
end to enable one to readily 
locate all necessary points. 
Use the compasses to get 
the curves, and be sure that 
the three square openings 
are all exactly the same 
size. Saw these out neatly 
with the fret saw, which should also be used for 
the circular opening near the top. The long, nar- 
row slot may be worked out with the knife, although 
sawing will be the safer way. See that all edges 
and corners are finished sharp and true, and then 
shape up the top and the two feet at the bottom. 

A square board for the bottom is next in order, 
and a large hole should be sawn in the center of 
this to let the drip pan set in. The two cross- 
pieces at the top remain to be prepared and should 




70 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



be exactly as long as 







^ 


-T 


> 






-V 








V 


J 








p 


I- 










^ 


i 


l^ 


i 










t 


^ 








^ 


N 














^ 


>^ 












































































































































































































1 


1 








































^ 


b 


■%^. 


^ 


^ 


^; 




^ 




















J 


^ 








L 





UMELLASTAND 



ing due care that they 



the bottom board and per- 
fectly square and flat on 
the ends. Mark off on 
the inner surface of each 
side board just where the 
other pieces are to be 
fastened. Fasten one of 
the sides to the bottom, 
and then nail on the cross 
pieces, after which turn 
over and put on the other 
side. 

Stain to match the sur- 
rounding furniture. Ap- 
ply a coat jof thin shellac, 
rub with steel wool when 
dry, and then wax. To 
cover up the nail holes, 
drive in close to each nail 
a nail with a large fancy 
head, or glue on a small 
round block over each 
one before staining, tak- 

are evenly set. 



WASTE-BASKET 

A waste-basket, when properly made, is one of 
the most attractive articles that the young carpenter 



FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 71 



can make for the home. There are six pieces in 
the basket illustrated, which are laced together 
near the top with strips of white leather, which is 
also used to fasten on the 
two large rings that serve as 
handles. 

The six side pieces should 
be from one-quarter to 
three-eighths of an inch 
thick. Square them up all 
exactly the same size, and 
then use the compasses to 
draw the half circle at the 
bottom of each piece and 
the quarter circle at each of 
the upper corners. Do not 
mark one board from another, but use the com- 
passes on each one separately. Six quarter-inch 
holes must now be bored in each piece as in- 
dicated, due care being taken not to tear off any 
splinters. 

The marking out of the bottom is very simple. 
On a large piece of smooth paper draw a straight 
line A — C exactly twelve inches long Place the 
point of the compasses at A and draw a half circle 
through the center point B. Then place the com- 
passes at C and draw another half circle through 
B, after which place the point at B and draw a 




72 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



full circle through A and 
C. Join up the points 
where the circles cut each 
other and you will have a 
]3erfect six-sided figure, 
which, by the way, is called 
a hexagon. Remember 
you do not have to change 
the compasses once after 
they are properly set. 

Saw out the bottom ac- 
cordingly, and test the 
edges with the square, in 
order to make sure that the 
sides will stand straight 
when they are fastened on. 
Stain all of the pieces the 
color desired and finish 
with a thin coat of shellac, 
which should be well rubbed with wax when diy — 
all as previously described. Each side piece is 
now to be fastened onto the bottom board with two 
screws or nails, the positions of which should first be 
measured and marked out, so as to have them evenly 
spaced. When the sides are attached, lace the 
pieces together at the top, tying the knots inside. 
Go to the furniture store and get a dozen nails with 




FOR LITTLE ONES TO MAKE 73 

large fancy heads and drive them in just to one side 
of the other nails, so as to cover them up and also 
serve as a decoration. 



CHAPTER 3 

Furniture You Can Make 



TABORET 

We are now going to make something that will 
require all our attention. We must remember all 
the mistakes we have made in our carpentry expe- 
rience up to date and be 
careful to avoid them 
from now on, because 
this and the bench and 
table that follow are 
full-sized pieces of fur- 
niture. 

In the present case it 
will be necessary to 
find a smooth flat board 
twelve inches wide from 
which to cut the top. 
Get a smooth sheet of 
paper and draw a per- 
fect twelve-inch square. 
Mark two points on 
each side exactly three and one-half inches from the 

74 








/ 


r 










s 


\ 








/ 


/ 














\ 


< 




,/ 


^ 


















\ 




f 






















\ 








































7 
























8 


































V, 






















y 


\ 


\ 


















/ 


/ 






\^ 














/ 










\ 


s^ 










/ 







FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 75 

corners, and, after joining these with straight lines, 
you will have a good eight-sided figure for the top. 
Mark this out on the wood, and carefully saw off 
the corners, after which plane and sandpaper the 
edges smooth. In or- 
der to keep this piece 
from warping, screw a 
strip about an inch 
thick and two inches 
wide on the under side, 
across the grain, tak- 
ing care that the screws 
do not come through 
on the top side. This 
strip should be placed 
in the exact center, 
so that the legs will 
hide it when they are 
put on. The four legs 
must now be sawn to 
the proper taper and 
planed smooth on the 
sides. Saw out the 
small piece at the bot- 
tom of each one to form 
the feet and then round 
off the upper corners. 
The cross-braces are now to be sawn and should be 



^^ 


^^ 






















-^ 


— - 










1 


/" 


~? 


z 






"m 


m 


















-/r 


■^^ 







;i- - 










Zr 


■^4 







JABORErJ 



76 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

exactly as long as the top is wide. Each of these 
pieces must be cut down one-half at the center, so 
that they will cross one another just as though they 
were made from one piece of wood. As soon as 
these are fitted nicely and tested with the square, 
the putting together may commence. Mark the 
edges of the top to show exactly where the legs 
should be fastened, and then nail on the legs, after 
which the cross-braces should be nailed in place. 
In order to add a little ornament and at the same 
time cover up the nail heads, some small round 
blocks should be glued on, or else nails with large 
brass or copper heads, such as upholsterers use, 
should be driven in just to one side of the ordinary 
nails. 

Stain the desired color, shellac and rub with wax 
— all as previously described. 

BENCH 

In making this bench our object ought to be 
to make something good enough to use indoors — 
perhaps in the workshop or maybe in the attic 
where the wireless outfit is. 

While the drawing shows the foot rail fastened 
in with a key and tenon, it should be understood 
that this may be omitted if desired, in which case 
the rail will be held in place by two nails driven 
into it through each end board. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 77 



I j||r""''''''\__B 



■31 JOIAg, 





y 


\ Z061oA^ 


"^s. 


/ 


^s 


s 5^ 


t o 





"^ 






""" 


■^^ 










" 














































y- 


— 


5EMGJ 


f \ 








1 




























































































































I 


^ 


h 


'A 




















1 








































X 


^ 


s 


"V 














/^ 


■'^ 








N 










J\ 














L 







The material is 
all one-inch dressed 
lumber. The work- 
ing drawing clearly 
shows how to mark 
out the end pieces. 
By examming this 
you will find that you 
will have to make six 
different curves with 
the compasses. This, 
however, is a very 
shnple matter as the 
sizes and center 
points are all indi- 
cated on the draw- 
ing, and as soon as 
the curves are drawn 
it is only necessary to 



78 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

join them up with pencil and ruler, and the outline 
is finished. Saw out the little side curves with the 
fret saw and those at the bottom with the key-hole 
saw. Wrap a piece of sandpaper around some- 
thing round and finish each curve smoothly. Next 
saw off the ends of the top squarely, and cut the 
t|^!^^si^ pieces the same length, sawing off the 
lower cctrners as shown. Nail the top to these, care- 
fully placing them just far enough apart so that 
the ends will fit in snugly between. The ends will 
now be fastened by nailing down through the top 
and in through the side pieces, after which it only 
remains to place the foot rail. 

STUDY TABLE 

Every boy and girl should have a place in the 
house that they may call their own. Each one 
should have a table where they may keep their writ- 
ing materials and books and read or study when 
they wish to. The present design for a table is 
one that any careful young carpenter may make 
without any great difficulty. It is, in fact, a com- 
bination table and book case. The top is made 
from three or more boards held together by strips 
nailed across the under side, and, in order to hide 
the cracks and at the same time provide a durable 
working surface, the top is covered with imitation 
leather, fastened on with fancy nails. The legs are 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 79 

plain boards and are nailed to the cross-strips 
underneath. The shelves are simply nailed in 
place and the heads of the nails are afterwards 
covered by gluing on some small round blocks. 




So you see all the difficult features in table making 
are eliminated. 

All of the material is one-inch dressed lumber. 
First make the top, and be sure that the cross-pieces 
are not only square on the ends, but are put on so 
that the legs will come just right when they are fas- 
tened in place. The four legs are next to be sawn 
squarely to the exact length and planed smooth on 
the edges. Shape up the lower ends with the fret 



80 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



come. 



saw, and mark the places where the shelves will 
The four shelf boards are now to be sawn to 
the same length and exactly 
as long as the cross boards 
previously nailed under- 
neath the top. In putting 
together, first nail the two 
legs and two shelves of each 
end together. Place the top 
upside down on the floor, and then nail on the legs. 
It now remains to fasten on the foot board, for which 
screws should be used, so as not to loosen any of the 
nails already driven in. Should the table now be 
found the least bit shaky, brace it by nailing and 
gluing in some small blocks under the top, and 
shelves on the inner side of the legs, as shown in 





the drawing. If it is desired to have the top look 
heavier, nail on strips on the under side all the 
way around and exactly even with the edge. After 
the table is stained and waxed, cover the top 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 81 

smoothly with some sheets of paper and then put 
on the imitation leather. Bring the edges clear 
around underneath and fasten them with ordinary 
tacks on the under side. Put in a tack only every 
foot or so until the leather is stretched evenly. 
When it is finally tacked all the way around, put in 
the fancy nails around the outer edge. Be sure to 
have them exactly in line and evenly spaced. 

DESK WITH BOOK SHELVES 




This combination desk and book rack is another 
piece of furniture that is especially well adapted to 



82 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the needs of the student. It can readily accom- 
modate a library of two hundred books, and at the 
same time affords all the advantages of a small 
writing desk. The construction is unusually 
simple. 

All the lumber except the back boards is one inch 
thick. All connections may be made with wire 
finishing nails, the heads of which are carefully and 
deeply set, and then puttied over. (It might be 
well to remark that putty will not adhere to new 
wood unless the place to be puttied is first 
oiled.) The construction should start with the two 
ten-inch end boards, each one of which should have 
a little block glued on at the forward bottom corner 
so as to provide sufficient material to form the 
slightly projecting feet. Take due care to have all 
edges perfectly flat, and square with the sides. 
The amateur will often find it much easier to 
produce a flat edge when two boards are tempo- 
rarily joined and worked up together. When these 
are ready, accurately mark off the position of the 
shelves. Next proceed with the two boards that 
form the sides of the desk cabinet, and work them 
up in a similar manner excepting that these pieces 
have no projecting feet. The two long top boards 
are next in order and should be gotten out exactly 
the same length and trimmed perfectly square. 
The upper one is a half inch wider than the one 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 83 



to 



k 



/*- 



— r9 



o 
o 

03 






^ 



L 



.^^ 



ui--: :-;.:i1-:v^-..::::; t::, 



U 



<7r 



-li— ''~1h- 



84 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

below it as the backing does not extend up that far. 
Next get out the eight shorter shelves, and then 
proceed with the putting together. Build up the 
two sets of shelves separately and then connect 
them with the two long top boards. The exact 
length of the desk board can now be determined. 
To secure this in position fasten one inch strips to 
the sides of the two vertical boards, and then screw 
the desk board to these with screws set in from 
underneath. A two and a half inch strip should 
then be placed underneath to support the over- 
hanging portion. The back boards should be of 
about half inch stuff and may be attached with wire 
nails. Any desired arrangement of shelves or 
pigeon holes for stationery can be placed inside. 
Each door should be of but one piece and attached 
with long strap hinges of suitable finish. 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2- 


1x101/4x64 


2 


lxlOMx52 


2 


1x10 x79y2 


8 


Ix 9?4x24i^ 


1 


1 X 16 X 29^^ 


1 


Ix 2^/4x291/^ 


2 


1x15 x2li/^ 


8 


% x6% X 471^ 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 85 

PLATE-RACK 

In judging a plate-rack, the imagination should 
always supply a few pretty plates and hang some 
half-dozen dainty cups on the small brass hooks on 
the under side of the narrow shelf. The present 




design is quite small, and is intended to accommo- 
date about a score of pieces with which you feel 
particularly intimate. 

The back consists of but one piece, relieved 
around the edges with a few simple curves, which, 
however, on account of their simplicity, must be 
worked out true to hne and square on their edges. 
This also applies to the three openings, which will 
first be roughed out with the scroll-saw. The shelf 
will then be made and supplied with a small square 
strip on top along the front edge, to keep the con- 
tents from slipping off. As soon as the two 
brackets are ready, the whole may be put together, 



86 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




9— 



v^^j tM ^' 



Z8. 



PLATE RACK 




using screws set in from behind, and glue, then add- 
ing the guard-rail. 





Mill Bill 


cs. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


% X 91/2 X mV2 


1 


% X 3M X 34 


2 


%x3 X 5y2 


1 


%x %x33 


1 


y4:X 1/4x33 



WALL SHE^VE3 , , . 

The only decorative feature of*tRe"use¥iiI 'wto 
shelves shown below is the set of imitation hinges 
cut from polished brass, which brighten up the 
whole structure. If such hinges cannot be pur- 
chased, the reader will not find it a very difficult 
task to cut some from soft brass plate, the neces- 
sary amount of which will cost only a few cents. A 
cold-chisel may be used in cutting, provided a 
liberal margin is left for filing, otherwise a metal 
saw, such as jewelers use, will be necessary. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 87 




The construction is so simple that httle need be 
said in this regard. The ends and shelves should 
first be made and connected, after which the back 



WALL SHELVES 



^ 



— /Z- 



«^ n3 



t— /^ — A 



•Ml, 



/6 



id 



T 



3-, 



_ ^3 



front V/ew 



88 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

should be nailed in place. The connections of the 
upper two shelves may be made by means of small 
blocks glued and nailed in the corners of the two 
compartments. Use glue on all joints. 

The portions of the back that extend above the 
top and below the bottom shelf, should be made of 
strips thick enough to hide completely the end wood 
of the main portion of the back. The doors are 
next made ready, and may be of single pieces, or 
they may be arranged to contain a small panel in 
the center. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


%x-10Mx28 


S 


§4x10 x42 


2 


%x 3%x42 


2 


%x 12^x12^/4 


2 


%xlO X 12^/4 


1 


%xlO xl6^^ 


4 


1/^x11 x22 



CLOCK-CASE AND BOOK-RACK 

For this clock-case and book-rack the construc- 
tion should start with the two ends, which are 
identical. After trimming them to size, accurately 
mark out and cut the mortises for top and bottom 
boards. These are then to be tenoned on their ends 
to match and receive the square holes for the tight- 
ening-keys. Make the curved strips at top and bot- 
tom of pieces separate from backing. A rear edge 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 89 




of both the top and bottom pieces will have to be 
notched out to fit in the backing. (See end view.) 
Fit the two ends and shelves together, then nail on 
backing, after which place the intermediate shelf. 
Work up curved strips at top and bottom from 
heavier material than backing and secure in place 
with nails set in from behind. The two vertical 
pieces that form the sides of the clock-case are 
now in order, after which the face should be 
fitted. 



90 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



GL0CK-GA5E &DOOK !V\CK 



^ 






3 




!l 



/^/^onf yy&iv 




^nc/ 





Mill Bill 


'CS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


% X 5^/4 X 23 


2 


% X 5 X 30^/^ 


1 


%x5 x26 


2 


%x8y2x 8^2 


2 


%x3 x26 


2 


1/^x9 X 27 



CHEST 

Old-fashioned, moth-proof chests, made of red 
cedar, have become quite popular in recent years. 
These may be made very attractive, and are often 
used in the bedroom as seats. While the dimen- 
sions for the chest here given are for a good average 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 91 

size, it would be well before proceeding with the 
construction to consult personal requirements and 
make any necessary alterations. The interior may 
be provided with a tray, as in a trunk, divided into 
as many compartments as desired. 

The greatest difficulty in constructing a chest of 




this sort is in gluing up boards for the wide top and 
sides. If wide pieces of lumber can be obtained, by 
slightly modifying the dimensions of the chest so as 
to make use of them, a great deal of work may be 
avoided. After trimming up all the pieces except 
the top, cut the curves on the lower edges of the 
front and ends. Set up with glue and finishing 
nails, the heads of which should be set deeply and 
afterward puttied. The corners may be mounted 
with brass, copper or even galvanized iron painted 



92 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



black. The necessary strips of metal should be 
carefully bent between boards and attached with 
large-headed nails of a finish which will harmonize 
well with whatever metal has been used for the 
angles. 

The under side of the top should be reenforced 
by nailing on half-inch strips around the four sides 



CHE.5T 




"?«t9 



fronf J^/€iv 



^/?<y K/<stv 



SO that when the cover is down it will fit closely into 
the chest. 

The hinges are of the butt type set inside. For 
ornamentation a pair of imitation ones of the same 
metal as the corner angles may be used on the out- 
side. The lock and lifting handles should be of the 
same finish as the other trimmings. The old cop- 
per finish wears well and is good looking, and dull 
brass and wrought iron would also be attractive for 
the metal trimmings on the chest. 

The mill-bill has been omitted in this case because 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 93 

of the possible modification in size which may be 
necessary to make the chest meet personal require- 
ments. 

SUIT-CASE STAND 

Something a little out of the ordinary, and 
altogether convenient and desirable, is the stand 
illustrated for holding a suit-case or trunk. How 




many housekeepers have had their polished floors 
scratched or pretty rugs soiled from trunks ! 

Every guest-room should have such a stand for 
a steamer-trunk. 

The four corner posts will first be planed up; 
and, after marking out the positions of the several 
mortises, work them down to line and finish the 
ends. The crosspieces will then be laid out and 
tenoned to match. It will be noted that the upper- 
end crosspieces are narrower than the side ones, in 
order that the top slats will just come flush with the 



94 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

side crosspieces. Joint the two legs of each end 
with the crosspieces of that end, and when dry con- 
nect the two ends with the side pieces, reinforcing 
the corner connections with small triangular blocks 




on the inside angles. It now remains to place on 
the four top slats, and the stand is ready for finish- 
ing. It can be stained any color desired, or left in 
its natural color, with a coat of filler thoroughly 
rubbed in and then wax applied. 

Mill Bill 
pcs. dimensions 

2 % X 4M X 29 

2 %x4Mxl5 

2 %xl%x29 

2 %x 178x15 

4 %x3 X SOV2 

CHAIR-LADDER 

It is not often that a ladder having more than 
three or four steps is required about the house, yet 
even one of this size takes up enough space to war- 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 95 

rant us placing it in the cellar, with the result that 

when it is required for onl}^ a minute or two we do 

not think it worth the 

trip, and so we climb on 

table or chair, or whatever 

is nearest and most handy. 

The chair shown here has 

a good appearance and 

has the additional merit of 

transforming itself into 

a ladder at an moment's 

notice. An inspection of 

the drawing will make the 

construction clear. 

Whichever kind of lum- 
ber is used, it should 
measure from three-fourths to one inch in thickness. 
First, work out the two side-boards of each side, 
and see to it that when they are placed together they 
will form the proper shape for the side of the chair. 
Set the two front halves aside, and proceed to con- 
struct the entire back half of the chair. Prepare 
the rear portion of the seat-board and then the 
crosspiece that sets on the floor at the rear. The 
two sides may now be set up and connected, using 
glue and screws at all connections. 

The two back crosspieces and the thin panel 
board are now to be prepared and fitted together. 




96 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




should form a good 
substantial chair, 
which requires noth- 
ing further than a 
pair of hinges to 
make it complete. 
By using blocks at 
the connections of the 
seat with the sides, 
and by mortising the 
back cross-pieces into 



after which secure them 
firmly in place. The step, 
half-way between the seat 
and the floor, is now to 
be placed, and the back 
half of our chair is com- 
plete. To finish the front 
half it is only necessary 
to make the other half of 
the seat-board and the 
lower step, and with them 
connect the two front 
portions of the sides pre- 
viously prepared. When 
the two halves are now 
plafcqd ; tog^^r, ^ thejj 



CMAIR- LADDEIR, 




TTT 



o> 



J il£. 






■/6 



/y'onf ^/etr- 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 97 



the sides, the conspicuous use of screws or nails may 
be avoided. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 

2 
2 



DIMENSIONS 

"/sx 10y2xS7 
"/sxlS xl8 
Vsx 8 
% x 1 
%x 4 
Vsx 8 
%xlO 
1 X 2 



X 18^/^ 
X 18y2 

xi8y2 

X 15 
X 15 
X 16 



X 8^x12 



TIP-SETTLE 
The tip-settle serves three purposes — namely, a 



> 


1 


P-JI 


s- 




n 


r""^ 





seat, a box and a table. When not in use as a table, 
the top may be tipped up and the whole set up 



98 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

against the wall. The seat, which is provided with 
hinges, forms the lid of a very convenient receptacle 
for odds and ends. 

The construction should commence with the two 
ends, which are identical in every particular. Lay 
out the various curves as indicated on the drawing, 
and remove the surplus with a keyhole-saw. The 




tip-3e:ttle: 



JF^ 



U-,-1- 



3=1: 



1 y 



rfe=fP 



A^t^ 



^1 



37 



° r 
U 



wn 



/"A/'/Tffet/jgg/ 



tl 



^nd V/'ew 



J/de V/ew 



front and back edge of each end board should be 
notched to a depth of one inch, in order that the 
front and back boards may be set in flush. After 
boring two three-fourths-inch holes for the hinge 
pegs, the ends may be set aside. The front and 
back boards next demand our attention. These re- 
quire nothing further than trimming up square and 
to the proper dimensions. The end boards may 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 99 

now be set up and connected by these two boards, 
using three screws at each connection. The bottom 
should now be filled in with one or more boards. A 
single board is of course preferable for the seat, 
which should be of sufficient width to allow it to 
project about one-half inch in front, as shown. 
After rounding the front edge of the seat, attach 
two cross cleats to the under side, to prevent warp- 
ing. In connecting the seat to the back board use 
two two-inch butt-hinges. Everything thus far 
has been of the very simplest possible nature, but 
in the preparation of the top considerable care must 
be exercised. As this piece of furniture will be 
more or less subject to the weather the gluing of 
the several pieces of the top should be thoroughly 
done, in order that none of the joints will spring. 
After gluing the several pieces together, the top 
should be finished smoothly, not only on the upper 
side, but also on the under side, as this side is very 
conspicuous when the article is being used as a 
settle. The two pieces which are fastened to the 
under side of the top, and through which the hinge- 
pegs pass, are next in order. After shaping them 
up, carefully mark the positions of the three- 
fourths-inch holes for the pegs, taking due care that 
they are similarly spaced to the holes already made 
in the end boards. Attach these two pieces to the 
top by means of screws set in through the top. 



100 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 

2 
1 
2 
1 


DIMENSIONS 

1x161/4x291/4 
1x17 X 381/4 
1x101/4x40% 
1 X 141/4x38% 


2 
6 


1 X 4i/4 X 34 
Ix 6 X481/4 



LIBRARY TABLE 
The beautiful library table is of very simple 
design, consisting essentially of only four massive 



^^ -J--::: 


^^ 


1 


^^B 

^ 


^^^^^: 


r- 








"^'''^^ 





pieces. The top and legs are particularly heavy 
and are of such a size that will necessitate the gluing 
of two or more pieces together. For one who has 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 101 

not had very much experience in carpentry it would 
probably be better to order these pieces from the 
lumber mill already glued. Before leaving the mill 
the two leg pieces should be laid, one over the other, 
and cut out to the proper shape by the band-saw. 
To facilitate this operation, the design of the legs 
should be laid out full size on a sheet of paper, 
which can be attached to the lumber before sawing. 
In finishing the legs, great care should be exercised 
to maintain all the edges sharp and square. This 
can be done by temporarily nailing the two pieces 
together and working them both up at the same 
time. After finishing all around, the two legs 
should then be separated and mortised to receive the 
projecting ends of the foot board. The foot board 
should now be carefully marked off, and as the 
finishing proceeds, frequent comparisons should be 
made with the two mortises already cut in the legs, 
to see how the projecting ends are going to fit. 
The mortises for the tightening keys should next 
be cut, after which the legs may be placed in posi- 
tion. The connections between the legs and the top 
are made by means of two pieces of pine, one and 
three-fourths by one and three-fourths inches, which 
are screwed both to the top and to the inside of the 
legs, as shown in the working drawing. 

On account of its massive lines, it would ordi- 
narily be advisable to construct this table of pine 



102 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



lumber, which can be stained to the desired shade. 
A good substitute for the heavy top may be made 
by ]^^]»|i|iding a one-inch top and reenforcing it on 



r — ' — [ 



S4 



1 









//- 






^ 



^- 



=Er 



set 



A 



-iH 



,^ 



V— /4 — I 

12 



4^7 



LIBRARY 

table: 



'rv 



Jry= 



<K> /^oot^oard 






3i?i 






the under side with a strip of one-inch stuff and 
then covering with real or imitation leather. This 
arrangement has every appearance of a heavy top, 
and the large-headed brass or copper nails, which 
hold the leather on, give the edge an attractive ap- 
pearance. 





Mill Bill 


NO. OF 




PIECES 

2 
1 

2 


DIMENSIONS 

l%x 22^/4 x30y2 
1^/4x12^/4x47^2 
l%x 1^x17^2 



For top, see drawing. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 103 

HALL-RACK 

The hanging hall-rack fills all purposes of the 
old hall-tree. The mirror is quite inconspicuous, 
yet large enough to answer all needs of the hall. 
Hooks in any number or finish may be attached as 




desired. If the worker owns a square of beveled 
plate mirror of almost the correct size, there will be 
no difficulty in slightly modifying the dimensions 
given so as to accommodate it. 

The frame consists of four pieces joined at the 
corners by "cross-lapped" connections; that is, each 
piece at the place of crossing is reduced to one-half 
its thickness. After fitting the frame together in 
this manner, trim up the ends to the dull-pointed 
form. Mortises should now be cut for the vertical 
pieces at each side of the mirror and also for the 



104 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



thin slats with the square openings in them. These 
vertical pieces must now be tenoned to closely fit 



^/ 



j \ 



♦ 



M «-i-? 



— ^^j 



♦ 



^•5 



i 



4i^J — /z Ijlfi^l^^^ 



^O 



HALL RACK 



their respective mortises, after which the entire 
frame may be assembled. Use glue at all connec- 
tions and clamp firmly until thoroughly dry. The 
mirror is held in place by notching out the back 
edges of the four pieces that surround it, so that it 
can be set in from the rear. 



PCS. 

2 
2 
2 
2 



Mill Bill 
dimensions 

% X 3 X 42 
%x3 x20 
^8x3 xl3 
%x 4^/4x13 



COSTUMER 

While the costumer cannot entirely take the 
place of the standing hall-rack, there are many 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 105 



places where it is more convenient on account of 
the smaller space occupied by it. In the bungalow 



^ 


> 

J 




w 







G05TUME!\ 



type of home, where the reception hall is so often 
omitted, the costumer is to be preferred. It is also 
a useful piece of furniture in the bed room. Our 
design of this article provides an attractive and 



106 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

easily made base of sufficient spread to give ample 
stability. 

The two pieces which cross one another and form 
the base may either be sawn from two large pieces 
at the mill, or else formed by gluing blocks on the 
bottoms of two smaller pieces so as to form the feet. 
Be particular to have the end wood smooth, and 
round all corners to exactly the same extent. 
Where the two base pieces cross one another, cut 
each one down to half its thickness, and join with 
glue under pressure. The upright is now to be 
prepared, and planed to a uniform taper, except 
for the lower twelve inches where the brackets con- 
nect. The corners are then to be slightly rounded 
and the top bluntly pointed as shown. From one 
inch lumber cut out the four brackets, making cer- 
tain that they are all perfect right angles. Every- 
thing may now be put together. Use glue, and 
at the toes of each bracket drive in a wire finishing 
nail, setting the heads deeply. Before puttying up 
these nail marks, place a little oil on each one. The 
hardware may be secured in brass, copper or dull 
wrought iron as desired, and arranged to suit the 
individual requirements. 

Mill Bill 
pcs. dimensions 

1 3 X 3 X 69 

2 2 X 4 X 17 
4 2x4x6 
4 Ix5%xl3 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 107 



TELEPHONE-STAND AND STOOL 

The telephone-stand is for use in a corner, and 
provides a shelf for the book. 

The arrangement of the legs and crosspieces is 









m 




ir^=7^^ 


u 


^ — =^^ 


1 

J. 


^Wj 


\ 


j 


1^^ — ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"^"^ 




> y 


^' 


r^ 


--^ 1 


,^- — •«, 


^ 


Or 

TE 


.>_i-L 


i 




Y 1 ^^-/^ • 


\ 


- — ■ f 


1 J 

.i 1- 
:LEPHor 

STAND 



about the same as for a small square table, except 
that one leg is missing. First square up to length 
the material for the three legs, and after marking 
out the mortises and guide-hnes for the tapering 
portions work them carefully down to line. The 
several crosspieces will now be cut to length and 
tenoned to match the legs. The whole should now 



108 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




be fitted together and the under shelf shaped up 
and fitted in place, after which all the connections 

may be made fast with glue 
and a wire nail or peg 
through each mortise and 
tenon. 

The top must have the 
curve true with a smooth, 
flat edge. To fasten, use 
glue and a few screws set 
in from below at an an- 
gle. 

The small round tray- 
may be turned out in a 
lathe, or may be made from 
a single piece, with three 
or four small strips of 
wood or metal arranged 
around the periphery to hold the 'phone in place. 
The supporting arm will be fastened across the 
bottom at right angles to the grain of the tray. A 
piece of round tubing or steel about six inches long 
is then securely fastened into the arm and a suitable 
hole bored into the stand so that the whole may 
swing freely. 

The shape of the top of the stool for telephone- 
stand should first be marked out full size on paper 
and the openings for the hand clearly indicated, 



1! %*3 4, 


^ ■ 
5 





TELEPHONE 
SEAT 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 109 

after which the lines may be transferred to the 
wood. 

The three pieces for the legs having been first 
squared up to length, draw the necessary lines to 
guide in mortising and in tapering the lower por- 
tions, all of which will then be in order. Two of 
the crosspieces will now be tenoned to match, and 
the whole fitted together so that the third crosspiece, 
which cannot be tenoned on account of its angular 
position, may be properly fitted and beveled off on 
the ends. Assemble with glue, and set in a nail 
through each mortise and tenon. 

Mill Bill 
telephone-stand 
pcs. dimensions 

3 l%x r%x31 

1 %x 17^2x17^ 

1 %xl4 xl4 

2 %x 4 xl4 
2 %x 2 xl4. 
2 %x %xl6 

Mill Bill 
telephone-stool 
pcs. dimensions 

1 %xl5 xl5 
3 iy2x l%xl8 

2 %x 31/4x11 
1 %x 31/4x15 



110 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



LIBRARY TABLE 

The library table illustrated is an especially mas- 
sive and rich-looking piece of furniture. This table 
has been made at a very reasonable cost, using a 
good quality of pine, which was afterward stained 
to a deep, rich brown. The top was particularly 
inexpensive, being made from one-and-one-fourth- 



LIB!V^>RY TABLE. 



(SI 



1^1 



■ iii- 






Jjc/e y/ew 



A 



t 



■f-' 



lEfE 



fi 



£j7€fy/ew 



inch boards, reenforced around the edges with a 
narrow board, to give it a massive appearance. 
The top was then covered with a dark shade of 
imitation leather, fastened with large-head, dull- 
finished brass nails. 

Into the legs at either end is mortised a cross- 
piece one by five inches, the tenons of which should 
project beyond the legs about one-half inch. The 
footboard is particularly large, and is supported by 
the two crosspieces by means of a pair of legs with 




Ill 



112 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



wooden keys, plainly shown in the illustration. In 
making this form of connection, care should be 
taken to see that the hole through which the key 
passes extends beyond the line of the crosspieces, so 



/^ 



U////M^^^<'<'^^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^^ ^ 



'/^/////////////////////////////^^ 



Cro^^ '^ec/jo/7 




/*^ 



that in driving in the key it will bring the pieces 
tightly together. 

The pieces that support the top are one by five 
inches, and are mortised for a short distance into 
the legs. To these pieces the top is secured by 
means of large screws at intervals of about eight 
inches, which pass through the upper inside edges 
of these pieces and into the top boards at an angle. 

While there is nothing particularly difficult in 
making a set of drawers for a large table, it would 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 113 



be better for the beginner 
who has had but httle ex- 
perience in handhng tools 
to omit these, or else care- 
fully examine some good 
table and note how the 
drawers are constructed and 
held in place. 

The support for the draw- 
ers in front is a strip one by 
three inches (plainly shown 
in the sectional view), and 
in the center of the table 
they are supported by a 
piece one by five inches run- 
ning crosswise. 

The panels are of three- 
eighths-inch board, in which 
is cut the mission cross. 
These panels should be 
mortised above and below 
into the crosspieces for a 
distance of about one-fourth 
of an inch. The entire 
table, with the exception of the top and the drawers, 
should be made and fitted together before glu- 
ing. 
















^7 


\^ 












h 


J" 4 


"IE 


_j 


L. 







114 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 





Mill Bill 


NO. OF 




PIECES 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


S X 3x28 


1 


1 X 5x48 


2 


1 X 5x26 


2 


1 X 5x3iy2 


1 


1^x24x56 


2 


%x 9x12^/^ 


1 


1 X 3x48 


1 


1 X 5x27^/^ 



For top and drawers, see drawing. 

ARMCHAIR 

We now present an armchair that harmonizes 
with the hbrary table just described, not only in the 
decorative cross, but in the use of leather for the 
seat covering. 

The front legs will first receive attention, and, 
after being trimmed up to the proper length, 
should be accurately marked to indicate the position 
of the mortises for the various crosspieces. These 
should then be cut and the upper ends cut down so 
as to pass through the arm rests and project a trifle 
beyond. The two back legs are next to be sawn 
out so as to have a tilt backwards of three inches. 
This will require a piece of lumber about three and 
a half inches wide. When these have been prop- 
erly shaped and planed smooth, mortise them in the 
same manner as the front legs. The crosspieces 
are now all to be tenoned to closely fit the legs, and 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 115 




the whole temporarily fitted together in order to 
make sure that everything is all right. 

A three-quarter inch strip is now to be fastened 
along the inner surface of each of the seat cross- 
pieces to support the false bottom. The back and 



116 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

side panels are now in order and should be worked 
out with a fret saw and accurately finished around 
the edges with sandpaper, after which cut grooves 



DINING ARM CHAIR 




in the appropriate crosspieces so that the ends of 
the panels will set in about a quarter of an inch. 

The chair is now ready for assembling. The 
best plan is to set up each side complete, using glue 
on all joints and clamping firmly over night. It is 
then a comparatively simple matter to set up and 
connect the two completed sides with the remaining 
crosspieces. When the glue has set the chair may 
be strengthened by boring a hole about the size of 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 117 

a lead pencil clear through each mortise and tenon 
and driving in a wooden peg coated with glue, 
smoothing off the ends when the glue has set. 

The false bottom should be covered with a layer 
of upholstering material held in place by a piece of 
cotton tightly stretched and tacked to the outside 
of the four crosspieces. If the operation is success- 
ful, the final covering of real or imitation Spanish 
leather should be fastened on with large-headed 
upholstering nails evenly spaced. 





Mill Bill 


cs. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


l%x 3^/4x43 


2 


l%x l%x 26^/2 


6 


Vsx 2 x23 


4 


%x 3 x20 


4 


% X % X 20 


2 


%xlO x20 


2 


^/4x 6%xll 


1 


%x 8Mxl7 



DINING CHAIR 

In the construction of the dining chair no new 
feature will be encountered, and the same order of 
procedure should be followed. In place of the 
false wooden bottom a piece of heavy tent canvas 
may be very tightly stretched in place to take the 
weight, after which the seat may be completed in 
the same manner as for the arm chair. 




DINING -t^ 
CHAIR r 



Y4Seo^ 






Vs^z 



/4V 



X~T 



t 







^4-^ 



VS'Z. 






ZT. 



y^'i 



/S - 



"_l 



^/c/e V/epv 



fronfV/eiV 



118 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 119 





Mill Bill 


PCS 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


13/4x3 x39 


2 


lMxl%xl9 


6 


%x2 xl9 


4 


%x3 xl6 


4 


3/4X %xl6 


2 


%x8 xl6 


2 


1/4x61/4x11 


1 


%x6y4x 131/2 




MUSIC STAND 



In the accompanying design for a music stand, 
with the exception of a small piece of sheet metal, 
bent as shown in the working 
drawing, to serve as a hinge 
in adjusting the angle of the 
music, the entire stand is 
made of wood. The main 
standard is composed of four 
strips, which form a square 
tube, into which fits a sliding 
piece having a series of holes 
for regulating the height of 
the music. 

The first object in con- 
structing will be to get out 
these strips and build up the 
main standard, which should 
be set up with glue and firmly 






120 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 121 

clamped until dry, after which the edges should be 
beveled off. The cross that forms the base is next to 
be built, and in order to effect the crossing of the 
two pieces in the center each will have to be notched 
out to one-half its depth. Having beveled off the 
ends and edges of the cross, the four small blocks 
may be made ready and attached, after which the 
four curved brackets are in order. These pieces 
may now be all assembled, using glue and a few fine 
brads set in so as to be invisible. The frame for 
the rack should be constructed next. The four 
corner connections are made in about the same way 
as the frame of a school slate. The small squares 
shown on the working drawing represent one-inch 
squares, and with these as a guide lay out the S- 
shaped figures full size on a flat sheet of paper 
before sawing from the wood. When these are 
accurately and neatly finished they should be 
secured in place with glue and small hardwood pegs. 
The small block between these figures can now be 
firmly placed, after which the remaining pieces will 
present no difficulties. (When a smaller rack is 
required and suitable material is at hand, it might 
be worked out from a single piece with the scroll 
saw.) It remains to add the thin strip that keeps 
the music from slipping down and provide the 
square piece that fits into the hollow standard and 



122 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

is attached at its upper end to the piece of metal A 
with a small bolt. 

Mill Bill 



»cs. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


1/2 xiy2X 181/2 


2 


1/2X11/2x12^ 


2 


%x5 xlO 


1 


1 X 1 x 25 


2 


% X 1% X 35 


2 


% X 1 X 35 


2 


1 X 21/4x121/^ 


4 


%x3i/2X 6i/2 


4 


, i^x2i/4x 2i/4 



PIANO BENCH 
The design for the piano bench provides a lifting 



1 


1 

i 


i 


m 





seat in order that the space underneath may be used 
as a receptacle of two compartments for sheet 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 123 



music. It is especially desirable if you have no 
music cabinet. 

The bell-shaped feet add quite a little to the labor 
of constructing, although, as may be judged from 
the illustration, the resulting appearance of stability 
fully justifies it. This additional work, however, 
may be greatly reduced and a very fair result ob- 



■40 



V^/S 



%-3i 



Vd 



yA'Z N 



ai 



^M 



r 



-13 



PIANO BENin 



tained by first planing up each leg perfectly straight 
and then gluing on four small strips, from which 
the foot may then be formed, just as though it had 
been worked from a solid piece. In either case care 
should be taken in working around the curves, be- 
cause the tendency will be to cut too deeply along 
where the leg begins to assume the straight form. 
The mortising for the crosspieces can proceed as 
usual after you have marked each one out accur- 
ately. The crosspieces should then be tenoned to 
match, and the lower one at each end should receive 



124 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

a blind mortise to hold the ends of the foot rail. 
The two legs of each end may now be connected 
with the short crosspieces. Set up with glue, and 
after testing with the steel square, clamp firmly 
until set. The side strips should now be made 
ready and fitted to the legs, after which the two 
complete ends may be set up and connected thereby, 
with the foot rail in place. A light bottom must 
now be fitted in and a transverse partition secured 
in place, all of which may be attended to with glue 
and a few brads. The seat now remains, and it 
should, if at all possible, be in one piece, nicely 
grained with the edges beveled off uniformly all 
around. In placing the hinges be careful not to 
set them too far in, but so that the seat will open 
straight up without marring the legs, and then pro- 
vide a cord or brass check to prevent it going any 

farther. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


2%x 2%x20 


2 


%x 4> xS6^^ 


2 


%x 4 xl2 


2 


%x 2^/4x12 


1 


%x 9}AxSQ^A 


1 


%xll x36 


1 


%x 151/^x40% 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 125 

MUSIC CABINET 
Time was when music came only on sheets of 
paper, but now it comes on cyhnders, on disks of 




three or four standard diameters, on rolls of paper, 
and on thin metal, so that the fitting up of the m- 
terior of the present design for a music cabmet must 
be left to the individual need. If for phonograph 
records, due consideration should be given to the 



126 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




relative number of 
ten or twelve-inch 
records on hand. 
If for written music, 
do not overlook the 
opera scores and 
large volumes of 
standard composi- 
tions. And with 
the rolls for piano- 
players the differ- 
ence due to eighty- 
eight or sixty-six-note rolls must not be forgotten; 
and the shelf spaces must be varied so as to separate 
the smaller boxes from the larger ones. 

For the sides select two pieces as nicely grained 
as possible, and spare no pains to have the curves 
around the feet just as perfect as you can get them. 
This is the main decorative feature of the cabinet 
and the lines should be brought out clearly and with 
a good sharp edge. The top will require no special 
attention other than to have the end wood smooth 
and square. Likewise make ready the bottom, and. 
then provide some thin 
pieces to fill in the back. 
Provision may be made for 
attaching these latter by 
cornering-out the rear edges 



— 7 ' M M A — 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 127 

of the sides, top and bottom, for about a half- 
inch, so that they may be set in flush and nailed 
thereto. Next assemble the pieces. Provide about 
three wooden dowels for each connection and set 
up with glue, reenforcing it with a few nails set 
in from the inside so as to be invisible. After 
making sure that the structure is held square by 
means of a pair of light strips across the back, 
clamp firmly until the glue sets. (In gluing end 
wood always apply a preliminary coat as a filler.) 
The back is now in order, after which the strip 
across the front and guides for the drawer can 
be placed, and the drawer itself fitted. The de- 
tails of making a drawer can hardly be given here, 
and in any case they can best be learned from 
actual inspection. The door now remains. A 
regular paneled one may be provided, or the plain 
one illustrated may be used. Such a door is relieved 
by trimming it with long imitation strap hinges in 
brass or copper, which the worker may cut from the 
sheet metal purchased from any arts-and-crafts 
supply house. 

Mill Bill 

PCS. DIMENSIONS 

^1 y8xl8%x24i^ 

2 %x 16^/^x21 

1 %x 41/4x25 

2 %xll x36 
1 %x20^ix30 



128 H^ARPENTRY FOR* BEGINNERS 




LOG BASKET 

The log basket is not only designed for carrying 
in the wood but also to serve as a wood box. 

From any machin- 
ery or arts-and-craf ts 
supply house strips 
of brass or copper 
may be obtained very 
reasonably. A pair 
of tin snips^'atid a file 
will do all the shap- 
ing, and the punch- 
ing or drilling of the holes will prove a very simple 
matter. The metal may be burnished with emery 
and then lacquered, but usually the oxidized ap- 
pearance that comes with time and use is much more 
attractive. 

It is very desirable that 
the wood be of oak or other 
durable variety. The bot- 
tom has only to be squared 
up and reenforced with a 
pair of strips screwed across 
the under side. The two 
sides should be accurately 
marked out and carefully 
worked down to line, after 




FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 129 



which each should be mortised or notched out so as 
to make a good connection with the handle uprights, 
which are now in order. As soon as the top piece 
is shaped up so as to afford a comfortable grip the 
whole may be put together and stained. The addi- 
tion of the metal trimmings will complete the basket. 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


%x 9 x24^ 


1 


^8x13 x24i^ 


1 


%x 3%xl4i/^ 


2 


%x 3^/4 x 8 


2 


ysx %xl4i/^ 



NEWSPAPER BASKET 

Every housekeeper will appreciate a newspaper- 
basket. There seems to be no place anywhere in 
the house especially made for the bulky modern 
newspaper, and par- 
ticularly the Sun- 
day edition. And 
then there is that 
eternal question, 
*' Where is yester- 
day morning's pa- 
per?" 

The accompany- 
ing design is very light, and the central division per- 
mits the paper to be placed on edge at either side, 




130 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



/»- 







'. ZJ == 



jti 



rv 



jd- 



NEWSPAPER BASKET. 



with but the one original fold. A handle is pro- 
vided, so that the basket may be readily moved 
about. 

On account of its lightness some little care will 
be necessary in handling the various pieces. Start 
with the four corner posts, and, after trimming them 
up, mark out and cut the several mortises. Then 
tenon the crosspieces to match, but instead of mortis- 
ing them to hold the side slats and end boards, 
merely corner them out, so that these pieces may be 
set in flush. After making the two end boards, the 

two entire ends may be 
assembled and securely 
glued. Next connect them 
with the longer strips, 
and then prepare the side 
slats and secure them in 











— ' 


— 


r 


— 




\\ 


— 


/ 




















Q 














i 








I 














/ 


V 






/\ 














^ 


> 




i\ 


\ / 


\ 












'^ 








V 


t 


L_ 























place with glue and small brads, from the inside. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 131 



The bottom may be of very thin wood or very heavy 
cardboard. The central division is now to be fitted, 
and after shaping the handle it should be securely 
fastened to the bottom and ends. 



Mill Bill 








PCS. DIMENSIONS 


4 1 X 1 X 14^/^ 


4 y2x l%x21 


4 y2x l%xlO 


1 %xl2 x20 


1 %x 9 x20 


8 ^/4x SVix 8 


2 %x 31/2 X 8 


BOOK STAND 


The purpose 01 the ac- 




companying book stand is 


IPIL^..^ 


to accommodate the current 


1 


■■M 


i 


books that are being read 


J 


iH 


IL 


and have not yet found 


^ 


ij^^^!^^^ 


m 


their way to the library. 




IT 




Being light and easily 




r 


moved about, it is a great 








convenience in the living 








room. 








First trim the material 




^^^^?= 




for the four legs up to 




?r^ 


/ 


length and size, then plane 


i 






it to a uniform taper, after 


J 




which make the mortises for 


i J 




the crosspieces just under 


— I 



132 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



- 


hWI 


Tf --•■• 


) 


- 


] ^-' ii 

- 13 -] 
-I* 




- IZ. -, 






1' 


E 


. 1 . 

iOOKS 


TANl 


D 



the top. Tenon these to match, and fit the whole 
temporarily together, after which the small shelf 

can be prepared and fitted 
in place. 

This piece is fastened to 
the legs by cutting off its 
corners slightly and then 
notching out the inner cor- 
ners of the legs to match, 
all of which must be ac- 
curately done, or the legs 
will not stand parallel. 
You can now set up the 
whole with glue, and put in 
a few small brads where they will not be seen. 
Clamp firmly while setting. 

The top is now in order, and after squaring it up 
to size mark *bff* Ihfe. fq^ur vert;ical pieces. Cross 
grooves must now be cut so that these latter will sit 
in; and, in order to give added strength, at two 
points for about an inch each groove should be 
mortised clear through. 

Two corresponding tongues will then be formed 
on each of the four vertical pieces, and when the 
whole is set up with glue no danger need be feared 
from hard usage. It now remains only to place the 
top and secure it with glue and a few screws set in 
at an angle from below. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 133 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


IM X M X 30 


1 


%x9%xl3y2 


1 


1/2 x7y2x 111/2 


2 


%x 3^/4x11 


2 


y4x3y4x 8 


2 


%x8y4x 8y2 


2 


y4x8y4x 7y2 



MAGAZINE STAND 

The construction of the magazine stand could not 
be simpler; merely two side boards with shelves 
between, yet by cutting the sides to a suitable taper 
and making a few sim- 
ple openings a pleasing 
design is obtained. 
The end of each shelf 
is supported by four 
dowel pins, the heads of 
which project slightly 
and are rounded off. 

The first point is to 
mark out accurately 
and lightly on the two 
side pieces not only the 
outhne but all open- 
ings, the positions of the shelves and the dowel pins. 
After removing the surplus material, a hole should 
be bored at the end of each slot and in each corner 




134 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

of the rectangular opening, so that the saw point 
may be inserted. 

In order to produce good clear outlines to all 
these openings, it is almost needless to state that 
considerable care will be necessary. The sawing 




should be done from the outside so that if a splinter 
should accidentally be removed it will be from the 
inside surface. 

Another small detail upon which much will 
depend is the need of having the dowel-pin holes 
bored at right angles with the sides. The shelves 
are all of a length. In order to get exact alignment 
in placing the dowels either bore clear through the 
sides into the shelves after temporarily fastening 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 135 



X iirr zr 


t J- t 


1 


4 . 


t 


t T 


to ) c o": 


t l^ 1 


y— ^ ^--^ J 


t ^^^^ 1 i 


—J L_d 



them together, or else mark 
off the adjoining holes on the 
shelf end as soon as the first 
dowel of that particular con- 
nection is placed. 

When the fitting is all satis- 
factorily accomplished, give the end wood of the 
shelves a preliminary coat of glue as a filler, and 
when this has dried, set up permanently, clamping 
all connections firmly overnight. 

Mill Bill 

pcs. dimensions 

2 78x14^2x33 

1 %xll xl7 

1 %xl2 xl7 

1 %x 131/^x17 

1 %x 7 xl7 

SEWING-STAND 

This little sewing-stand is very light and has two 
rings, so that it may readily be brought up close to 
the chair by the window. Near the top is a remov- 
able tray for the spools and needles, and on the 
under side of the lid a piece of leather is fastened for 
holding the scissors. 

In making anything hexagonal, accurately set 
the gauge at sixty degrees, so that all angles may be 
repeatedly tested as the work proceeds. The six 
similar side pieces must first be trimmed up squarely 



136 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 






and to the exact size, and should 
have their feet formed before 
bevehng off the edges. Next 
lay out the hexagonal bottom as 
accurately as possible with a 
pair of pencil dividers, and if 



any difficulty is 
contemplated in as- 
sembling make a 
second hexagon to 
act as a temporary 
top. This latter 
will keep the side 
pieces in their 
proper relation 

while they are being 
fastened to the bot- 
tom and glued 
along the edges. 
Before assembling, 



/ 




/r 


.'";.-'• v;;^\ 




r 


\ 




w 


>:^_ .-:- 


,-V 


— 




Ti. 




5EW1NQ-5TAND 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 137 

fit everything together, and provide means for 
clamping while the glue sets. To strengthen the 
side seams and to act as a support for the tray, make 
six little blocks as shown in the working drawing, 
and fasten them in place with glue and screws. 
The tray may be made as deep and in as 
many compartments as desired. The top is more 
apt to retain its shape if made of three pieces, fas- 
tened with glued tongue-and-groove connections. 

On the inner side of the cover a little piece of 
leather is tacked to form a case for the scissors, 
which are then most conveniently at hand when the 
top is raised. The top is attached to the stand by 
means of little brass hinges, and neat brass rings set 
in at the sides of the stand serve as handles, so that 
it can be moved about easily. 





Mill Bill 


>cs. 


DIMENSIONS 


6 


%x 6^/4x22 


1 


%xl3 X 7 


2 


%x 5 xl3 


1 


%xlO xll^/^ 


1 


%xlO xliy2 


1 


y4:X 2 x60 


1 


%x 1 xl8 



DICTIONARY STAND 

The dictionary-stand is of simple construction, 
and not only holds the dictionary at a suitable angle. 



138 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

but also affords suf- 
ficient shelf-space 
to serve as a maga- 
zine-stand, or to ac- 
commodate two or 
three sets of stand- 
ard works. 

The two side 
boards will first be 
accurately outlined 
and then shaped 
up accordingly, due 
care being taken to 
bring out the sim- 
ple curves around 
the feet sharp and 
clear. The dia- 
mond-shaped open- 
ings will also re- 
quire some close 
attention. After 
marking off the po- 
sitions of the shelf- 
boards, these pieces 
may be set aside 
and the shelves and 
top all made ready. 
Have the shelves 



lilHIIfflli ^^^^^M 





-3 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 139 

absolutely of a length and perfectly square on the 
ends, or in time the structure will surely work loose. 

After a preliminary coat of 
glue to act as a filler to the end 
wood, each connection will be 
made with three wooden dowel- 
pins, reenforced by as many 
slender screws carefully set in 
an angle from below. The 
surest way is to set up the stand 
complete, with all pins and screws in place, and 
only when everything goes together properly take 
it apart and apply the final coat of glue, after which 
the screws may be tightly set. 







't K 


^^ ^^ 


^J ^^ 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 
1 
3 


%x 131/4x41 
%xl4 x24i^ 
%x 8^/^x21 



CHESS-AND-CHECKER TABLE 

The distinguishing feature of this oak chess-and- 
checker table is the real or imitation leather top 
upon which is displayed a chess-and-checker layout. 
This result is obtained by staining the alternate 
squares a darker shade. 

The four legs will first be planed up, smoothed 
off on their upper ends, trimmed to length, and 



140 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




The four identical upper 
erosspieces are now in or- 
der, and will be tenoned to 
match the legs, after which 
the eight pieces thus far 
made will be fitted together 
so that the exact length of 
the diagonals may be deter- 
mined. These latter will 
then be made ready, and 
each must be notched out, 
where they cross in the cen- 
ter, to one half its depth. 

The structure may now 



finally mortised for 
the top erosspieces. 
The positions of the 
diagonal erosspieces 
will then be located 
and the inner cor- 
ner of each leg flat- 
tened off at these 
points, so that the 
mortises for the di- 
agonals may be run 
in properly. 



P:'''^'-/'^7i^''''^X 




1. ■ ' 




^ ^^' ','■ 


^ V ;! 




y ^ .\ i , 


r ■ -■- ,' 


^^— T^^ 


K- — \ — 22—^ — --. 


OOO^fOOOOOO 1 


\u^ ^ \ 


9ni 


/£» 


N 

N 


^■^ 1 


_1 



CHECKER TABLE 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 141 

be set up with glue and the upper connections reen- 
forced with a few nails or pegs set in from the in- 
side. While the glue is setting, the top may be 
made ready. This should be of two thicknesses of 
one-inch stuff crossed, or may be made of one thick- 
ness built up on the under side around the edges. 
Round all corners, and attach with screws set in 
from below at an angle. Use two layers of blot- 
ting-paper as an underlay, and then fit on the top 
covering, the edges of which should be tacked un- 
derneath with small tacks, after which the large 
ornamental nails may be put in. 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 

4 

4 
2 
4 


DIMENSIONS 

2x2 x30y2 
%x 434x18 
%x 2 x26 

1 X 11^/4 x223^ 



TABLE 

The accompanying design presents a table of 
considerable utility. At either end a shelf is pro- 
vided for current books, and a space in the center is 
set aside for magazines. 

In constructing the same first prepare the two 
side boards and, after shaping out the feet, mark 
out and cut the mortises for the projecting tenons 
of the foot board, which may then be accurately 
formed to correspond. 



142 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




The shelf board and top must be squarely 
trimmed to size. Now begin the putting together. 
Place the footboard, nail the shelf in place, and 
attach the top with screws set in at a suitable angle 
from below. Next make ready the two overhang- 
ing shelves and the four slender brackets. Attach 
the latter with glue and a few brads. Place the side 
shelves in position, thus hiding the nails previously 
set to hold the large shelf, and nail them to the 
brackets. These nails will in turn be hidden by the 
small pieces to be added above. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 143 




Make the outer frames of the four rectangular 
panels first, and see that 
they fit in place before go- 
ing further. Place one di- 
agonal and then put in the 
halves of the remaining one. 
The completed panels may be secured by the appli- 
cation of glue. 





^ 




Z J 5 


__5 t _ 





Mill Bili. 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


%xl8%x37 


2 


%xl6y2x30 


1 


%x 161/^x17 


1 


Mx 16^^x24 


2 


%x 8^/^x17 


4 


%x 7 xl3% 


20 ft. % X 1 



144 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



DINING TABLE 

In constructing the round dining table the joiii' 
ing of the top will prove to be the most difficult part. 




If the amateur has had no experience in this line, 
it is best to have the lumber-mill do it for him. 
Secure good clear lumber of fair width and, after 
truing up the edges, lay the several pieces on the 
bench and draw a circle about an inch larger than 
the finished top. Rough out the boards with the 
saw, and join them with fresh glue, clamping 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 145 




bS 



:._[ 



tightly until dry. 
Draw the final cir- 
cle, and remove the 
surplus material 
with the key-hole 
saw, finishing with 
the plane. 

The four two- 
inch under pieces 
are now to be pre- 
pared in the form 
shown on the bot- 
tom view of our 
drawing. Fit these 
together accurately, 
and see that the 
spaces for the tops 
of legs are perfectly 
square and at right 
angles with the top. Next attend to the legs. In 
forming the feet make a saw cut on the four sides 
to a depth of three eighths of an inch, and then 
finish with the chisel. Mark out the position of the 
mortises for the tie pieces, and cut them from both 
sides. Carefully determine the length of these tie 
pieces and tenon them to match the legs. When 
the tie bars pass one another at the center, cut down 
each one to half its width. Put the legs and tie 







BOTTOM 

DINING TABLE. 



146 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



pieces all together, and set them on the top, which 
should be placed on the floor, bottom side up. (Be 

sure that nothing is 
on the floor to mar 
it. ) Fasten each 
leg to the top with 
glue and three long 
screws set in at an 
angle. With very 
fine sand-paper go 
over the table and 
slightly remove the 
corners. When 

sand-papering the 
top and legs do not 
hold the paper in 
hand, but place it on a block. 

Mill Bill 
pcs. dimensions 

4> 3 X 3 X 29 

4 2x7 X 32 

2 1 X 3^/4 X 39^/^ 

Top^ special. 

BEDSIDE STAND 

The construction of the bedside stand begins with 
the legs. Square off the tops, shape the feet and 
then mark off the various mortises; those for the 
cross-boards, which form the ends of the drawer 



HMiB 




\ 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 147 



spaces, should be let in about a half inch, and those 
for the lower crosspieces cut clear through. The 
two cross-boards and two cross pieces, tenoned to 



BED5IDE: -STAND 



Z4 



■/6 



"TTo" 



L^±. 



—J— 



Y 



2Z ■ 



3 ^ " L 



\ 






V 



1 



- £ ~-^ 



^1^ 



I— /^i — J 
/^ 



/Tonf y/etv 



j^nc/ //etr 



match the legs, the proper grooves cut in them to 
receive the ends of the end panels, are next pre- 
pared. These panels, preferably of hard wood, 
must be carefully cut with a scroll-saw. The two 
complete ends can now be assembled, using fresh 
glue and leaving clamped firmly overnight. The 
two horizontal boards for the drawer spaces and the 
foot-shelf are now to be gotten out with their ends 
squarely trimmed. As the two upper boards are 
wider than the lower one, their corners will have to 
be notched out so as to pass around the legs. The 



148 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



-4--- 

) ^ 

— 1 


^ ( 



assembled sides may now be set 
up and connected by these three 
Q boards, using glue and finishing- 
nails, or screws set in at an an- 
gle from the inside. The top, 
smoothly and accurately finished, 
may then be attached with glue and 
screws set in invisibly. Fit a half- 
inch board at the back to fiJl in the 
drawer space and stiffen the table 
laterally. It will not be found dif- 
ficult to make and fit the three 
drawers which complete the table. 



PCS. 

4 

2 
2 



Mill Bill 



DIMENSIONS 



2x2 
1x9 
1x2 
%xl4 
%xll 
1 X 16% 



x30 

xll 

xl5% 

x20 

x20 

x25 



%x 3^/^x14 
%x 9 xl9 
1/4 X 6^x15 
Also drawers. 



BEDROOM CHAIRS 



The accompanying working drawing presents a 
bedroom chair of similar construction to the dining 
chair with the leather seat, previously described. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 149 




J ^-'-/6 



BEDROOM CHAIR 



The back panel, however, is made to match the fore- 
going bedside stand. 

In the second chair still an- 
other form of panel is used, and 
instead of a permanent seat cov- 
ering, a loose, flat cushion is pro- 
vided, the covering of which 
should be the same as or harmon- 
ize with the bedroom hangings. 
The construction should com- 
mence with the two rear legs, 
which, on account of their bend, 
will have to be sawed from two 
pieces about three inches in 







N_ ^ 


-^^ A 


^ 7 


X ^ 




^. 


7 _ 


t 


( 


T 






I ; 


T 


A 


t 


— > 


f 


^ ^ 


Z 4 


T 


\ 



150 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



width. When planed smoothly down to line, mark 
out the guide-lines for the top, feet, and mortises, 

after which shape up 
the upper ends and 
feet. The front legs 
will now be made 
ready and similarly 
mortised, noting, of 
course, that the front 
crosspiece is placed 
higher than the rear 
one. 

The two cross- 
pieces of each side 
are next in order, 
and should be ten- 
oned to fit the mor- 
tises just made, after 
which a groove will be 
cut in each to receive 
the ends of the side-panel boards. These will then 
be sawed out, taking due care to bring out the lines 
sharp and clear. The two complete sides may now 
be set up with glue and securely clamped. The 
four rear and two front crosspieces are now to be 
accurately marked out and tenoned to match the 
sides, after which the thin back-rest will be prepared 
as carefully as were the side panels. It now only 




FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 151 




5 



I 



i 



/ 



?^ 



N 



7^ 



-I remains to make two slots in 
£. the two upper crosspieces to re- 
ceive the ends of this piece, and 
the whole chair mlay be as- 
sembled. Set up with glue, 
secure each joint with a small 
peg or wire nail, and clamp 
until set. Small square strips 
should be attached to the inner 
surfaces of the four seat cross- 
pieces, after which the seat- 



5 



board must be accurately fitted in and secured 
thereto with glue and screws. 



152 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


l%x 3 x38i/^ 


2 


l%xl%x 17^/2 


4 


Vsx 2'%xl5 


4 


%x 2 xl5 


2 


%x 2Mxl5 


1 


%xl4 xl5 


2 


1/4 x 6% X 1 1 


1 


%x 9^x13 



BUFFET TABLE 

The construction of the buffet table or sideboard 
should commence with the front legs, which are to 
be trimmed up to size, shaped on their lower ends, 
and finally mortised for the two crosspieces of each 





Fig. 96. Another Style of Doli.-House. 




Fig. 97. Interior View of Doll-House. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 153 

end. The rear legs are similar to the front ones in 
every way, except that they extend above the top 
board to hold the plate-rack. Having completed 
the legs, the two crosspieces of each end should be 
planed up and then tenoned to fit the mortises 
already made in the legs. The pieces thus far made 
should now be put together with glue and firmly 
clamped until set, taking due care to have the several 



Bvr jZT tab le: 



y-y^-' II 



z:^-cr]-::rr 



■I5%- 



4-i^- 



LI 



4;^ 



rront View 



£'ncf Vrew. 



pieces all square with one another. The top board 
is now to be prepared. If a board of the required 
width cannot be found it will be necessary to glue 
up two smaller pieces, but in either case be sure to 
take particular care in finishing the upper surface 
and the exposed end wood. 

The foot-board, which is next in order, requires 
nothing further than to be planed up smoothly and 
trimmed off perfectly square on the ends. To the 



154 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

inner side of each of the lower crosspieces attach a 
half-inch-square strip to support the foot-board. 
Set up the two akeady assembled ends and connect 
them with the top and foot-board, using glue and 
screws set in from below at an angle. A pair of 
temporary strips tacked on the back will keep the 
structure in shape as the work proceeds. The two 
sides of the linen compartment should now be fitted 
in, and then the under side of the drawer spaces. 
Next in order is the backing for the plate-rack, the 
linen compartment and drawer spaces. The linen 
compartment is now ready to receive the desired 
shelving and have its doors fitted. The hinges 
should be of the strap type and of a similar finish 
to the drawer pulls. After fitting on the several 
divisions of the plate-rack and attaching the run- 
ning strip, the sideboard is complete, with the ex- 
ception of the two drawers, the making of which 
will be found quite simple. 





Mill Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


iM X 22 X 60 


1 


1 X 20^/^x58 


2 


1^/4 X 21/4x34 


2 


1^/4 X 2^/4x40 


2 


1 x 5 x23 


2 


1 X 3 x23 


4 


%xll x21 


4 


%xU xl7 


2 


1 x 111/4x21 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 155 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


1/^x11 Xl5 


1 


1/2 X 6 x57 


1 


% X % X 60 



MORRIS CHAIR 
The design of the Morris chair is one that will 
appeal to the amateur craftsman, not only on ac- 




count of its unique features, but because of its 
simple method of construction. The illustration 



156 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

shows the chair with the cushions removed, in order 
to plainly show the construction. The cut, there- 
fore, fails to give an adequate idea of the comfort- 
able appearance of the chair when in use. The 
arm-rests at either side form the lids of two long, 
narrow boxes, which open outward. Many uses 



.S3 A j 



ynoRRis 

GHAIP. 




will suggest themselves for these convenient httle 
boxes. They will hold pipes and tobacco, writing 
materials, knitting or fancy-work, and so on. 

First proceed with the ends, which are flared out 
at their upper ends so as to form the ends of the 
boxes. Each leg has but one mortise, and that 
through the shortest direction. After these have 
been prepared, the rear legs should be notched out 
at their upper inward corners, so that the two inner 
sides of the boxes can project to the rear, for the 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 157 

purpose of supporting the back, as shown. Four 
one-inch blocks of the exact size of the inside of the 
boxes should now be made, and fastened with screws 
to the upper ends of the legs, so that the sides and 
bottoms of the boxes may be fastened thereto. 
Next get out the two side crosspieces and tenon 
them to fit the mortises already made in the legs. 
The two inner sides of the boxes should now be 
prepared, and their ends, which project out behind, 
should each receive five 
notches, for holding the mov- 
able bar that holds the back .4^ />5/<:?cr^ 




up. After getting out the ^^i^J^™r 
outer sides and bottoms of the ^ MaT 
boxes, the two entire sides of ief;,onnec/yo^7 
the chair may be assembled. 
Use good, fresh glue, supplementing it with screws, 
in connecting the box pieces with the legs. The 
front and back crosspieces require only trimming 
up true and square. In the sketch is shown how to 
connect these to the two sides already assembled. 
To support the seat, five three-fourths-by-two-inch 
slats are nailed to two one-inch strips screwed to 
the inside of the two side crosspieces. The back 
frame consists of two tapering side pieces and five 
cross-bars, all of which are mortised together. 
These mortises are let into the side pieces of the 
frame for a depth of one inch, and should be set up 



158 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

with glue and two wire nails through each connec- 
tion. To connect this frame to the back crosspiece 
use two stout iron hinges. The adjusting bar to 
regulate the angle of the back should be of hard- 
wood or metal. The cushions may be ordered ready 
made in Spanish or imitation leather. If it is de- 
sired to make these at home, which is no great task, 
as several easily-worked materials may be used, one 
should first examine some of the various methods of 
putting these cushions together. 





Mill Bill 


NO. OF 




PIECES 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


1^/4 X 6% X 30 


2 


IM X 61/4 X 30 


2 


1 X 6M X 28 


2 


1 X 5 X 40 


2 


%x5 X 26y2 


2 


% X eVi X 30 


2 


%x4>y2X 26)^ 


2 


1% X 2 X 36 


1 


% X 3^ X 23 


3 


%x2 x23 


1 


lMx3 x23 


5 


%x2 X 27 



SMOKER'S CABINET 



The cabinet shown herewith is a very convenient 
piece of furniture. It is a convenient stand for 
books and magazines and may also serve as a re- 
ceptacle for smoking paraphernalia. The cabinet 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 159 



proper is provided with a door on either side, hinged 
at the bottom, so as to swing down and form a tem- 
porary shelf. A pair of brass chains should be 
attached to each door, in order to keep the door 
from dropping below 
the horizontal posi- 
tion. The four leg 
pieces should be first 
gotten out and mor- 
tised to receive the 
four crosspieces, and 
also the end panels, 
which are let into the 
sides of the legs for a 
depth of three-eighths 
of an inch. The two 
lower crosspieces 
which support the lower shelf should be tenoned at 
the ends to one-half by one and three-fourths 
inches. The upper crosspieces which support the 
bottom of the cabinet proper are tenoned at the 
ends down to one-half by one and one-half in- 
ches. Next, get out the eight little slats and cut 
a tenon one-fourth by one inch on each end and then 
mortise the crosspieces to match. After placing 
the slats and the crosspieces together, slip on the 
legs. The shelf for the bottom of the cabinet 
proper should now be gotten out, and after being 




160 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



finished to the correct size, it should be very care- 
fully notched, in order to pass around each of the 
four legs, beyond which it projects for a distance 
of three and one-half inches. If it is so desired, 
four holes three-fourths of an inch in diameter may 
be bored in each of these two projecting ends, to 
serve as a pipe rack. The lower shelf should now 



5M0KER5 CABINELT- 




/^ronf y/siv 



be fitted in place after taking due care to see that 
its length is such as to maintain the legs perfectly 
parallel. This shelf should be attached to the cross- 
pieces by means of dowel pins or with three wood 
screws on either end, which are screwed from the 
lower side of the shelf at an angle into the cross- 
pieces. The two doors are of three-quarter-inch 
lumber and each one should be provided with a pair 
of cross strips on the inside, to prevent warping. 
The top should be placed in position last, and is held 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 161 

in place by wood screws from the inside. All joints 
should be set up with good fresh glue and clamped 
in position until dry. The four larger mortises 
should have holes bored through them about the size 
of a lead pencil, through which wooden pegs may be 
driven. Hinges should be of the "strap" type, and 
may be had in brass, copper or iron. 





Mill Bill 


NO. OF 




PIECES 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


1^/^x 11/2x291/^ 


2 


%x 2 xl2% 


2 


%x 11/2x12% 


1 


%x 141/^x241/4 


1 


%x 111/2x241/^ 


1 


%x 9%xl5y2 


2 


%x 81/4x141/2 


2 


y2x 8^2 X 9% 


8 


%X 1 X 101/4 


WRITING DESK 



The ordinary form of household desk with its 
drop front and narrow base is a very unstable and 
shaky affair, for which reason many prefer the flat- 
top open desk, for its stability and strength as well 
as its convenience. The perspective view shows a 
desk of this form, provided with two drawers, which 
can be omitted if desired without materially chang- 
ing the general appearance, as shown in the working 
drawing. As in most of these pieces, commence 



162 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

with the legs, taking care to finish the top ends 
smooth and perfectly flat, after which the edges can 
be shghtly rounded by sandpaper. The only 
through mortises in the legs are the one-half -by- 




four-inch ones for the bottom crosspieces. The 
mortises at the upper ends should extend in for five- 
eighths of an inch. For holding the two ends and 
the back of the pigeonholes on top, mortise grooves 
one-half inch wide and three-eighths of an inch deep 
should be cut. Next proceed with the two bottom 
crosspieces, and tenon them on each end to fit the 
mortises already cut in the legs. These pieces 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 163 

should then be mortised to receive the ends of the 
footboard, and also mortised on their upper edges to 
receive the end slats. After this the top crosspieces 
may be gotten out and tenoned for a short distance 
on each end, due care being taken to have them ex- 
actly the same length from shoulder to shoulder as 
the bottom ones. The ten end slats should be pre- 
pared and all tenoned to exactly the same length. 



FFWi^ - 



WW TIN 6 DESK^ 



•9-% 



48 



J 



1_1 



-sh- 



^ -p; ^'^s 



■^ 






We are now ready to assemble the entire ends of the 
desk, which should be set up with good fresh glue 
and firmly clamped for at least eight hours. The 
two one-by-four-inch pieces that run lengthwise 
underneath the top should now be tenoned and 
closely fitted to their respective mortises in the legs. 
Set up the legs and place these pieces in position 



164 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

temporarily, using a strip of wood (nailed to the 
under sides of the lower crosspieces) to keep the 
legs properly spaced at their lower ends. The 
exact length of the foot board can now be de- 
termined, and then tenoned to fit the mortises 
already made in the crosspieces. After cutting the 
rectangular holes for the tightening keys, and fitting 
the back board of the pigeonholes, the desk may be 
permanently put together. The top, which has 
been purposely omitted from the lumber bill, as it 
will have to be glued up from two or more pieces, 
may be ordered already finished from the mill. In 
either case, considerable care should be exercised in 
notching out the four corners, so as to fit closely 
around the four legs. The top should be held in 
place by invisible screws set in from underneath and 
passing at an angle through the four pieces of one- 
by-four lumber. The arrangement of the pigeon- 
holes can be modified to suit the taste, as their con- 
struction is a very simple matter after the desk has 
been thus far constructed. If drawers are desired, 
the piece of one-by-f our running lengthwise in front 
can be placed in a horizontal position, to serve as a 
support for the drawers. This piece should be 
secured to the legs and the top crosspieces. After 
a dividing piece has been set in the center, the 
drawers can readily be fitted. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 165 

Mill Bill 

PCS. dimensions 

2 2 x2 xl2 

2 2 X 2 X 32^^ 

2 1 X 4^/4x25^ 

2 1 x 414x21 

2 1 X 4^/4 X 45 

1 1 X 4^ X 52 

1 1/^ X 8 X 46 

2 i/^x7^/^x 9 
2 %x8 x 8 
1 4^ X 9 X 45 

1 % X 8 X 24 

2 Mx8 xll^/^ 
10 %xl xl6 

Also top. 

SHAVING STAND 

A man must have used a shaving stand in order 
to appreciate its many conveniences. By tilting 
the mirror or shifting the stand around a trifle one 
can always get a good light and at the same time 
have everything right at hand. The top receptacle 
is a convenient place to keep the razors, mug, strop 
and shaving paper, and the lower one a good place 
for slippers or shoe brushes. 

To start the construction, the four vertical pieces 
should be got out and mortised to receive the side 
and back boards of the lower and upper receptacles. 
These boards should be of three-fourths-inch (the 
grain running horizontally), and should have a 



166 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 







1^1 


/l 




fl 


/ /J 






/ ^ 




r 


t^J 




^^^— — 




^^ ^^^ 


IB 


m ®=^ 


X 


H 


11 ^ 


1^ 


w^^fe 




— wHT?' 


iil^^B 




«llj-^ 


1 


IB If 


i|i 
















i't 






li 1 




■ 


1 ^^ 


gp 


H 


li^^^ 


3? 


H 


1 * «= 


Jg 


— H 


1 ■ -^ 


3iB — 


If 


w^^" 


1 


u 


1 


IJ 




1 1 



half-inch tongue on 
each end to engage 
the corresponding 
mortises in the ver- 
tical pieces. The 
slats are three- 
eighths by one inch 
and the entire ten 
should be worked 
up together so that 
they will be exactly 
the same length. 
Before proceeding 
further it is a good 
plan to build up 
each of the two 
complete sides of 
the stand — that is, 
take a long and a 
short vertical piece, 
one side of each 
receptacle and five 
slats, and glue them 
together under pres- 
sure of clamps. 
The backs and bot- 
toms of the recepta- 
cles can then be got 
out and the two en- 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 167 



r 



/Ox/4^ 



<'=gl; 



ys- 



O Voof^ 



o==o:3 



y^; 



5JAND 



/4 



'/ 






/8 



/^ronf y/eyy 



/s 



J/de y/e^ 



tire sides connected together, after which the top 
can be fastened on with glue and screws from the 
inside. 

The doors may be made of good, clear, three- 
fourths-inch lumber, with the grain running hor- 
izontally, and having a pair of cleats on the back, 



168 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



to keep the door from warping. A more elaborate 
door, and possibly a better one, could be made by 
paneling or else by attaching a crosspiece on either 
end by means of glue with tongue and groove joint. 
If beveled plate glass cannot be readily obtained 
either from stock or from some mirror already 
made, plain mirror glass may be bought at the hard- 
ware store, and will serve very well. The details 
of the frame require no explanation, as they are cut 
on the miter, glued together and carefully sand- 
papered. 



~ 




m 







Mill Bill 

NO. OP 






TTT^" 
i 1 ' 


- 


L 


p3 


PIECES DIMENSIONS 

2 2x2 X 72^/4 
2 2x2 X 531/2 

1 1 xi4<y2x2oy2 
3 %xi4>y2xi5y2 

8 1 X 2 X 15^^ 

1 %xll%xl4i^ 

2 V2X 9^/^x12 
2 %x 101/4x12 

10 %x 1 xl9y2 


1 




a 








2 y2xiiy2xi4>y2 

ARMCHAIR 
The armchair now 
















illustrated and the 



dining chair following are practically identical in 
construction to those previously shown, except that 
the panels in which the mission cross was cut are 
now replaced by a series of plain slats. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 169 



DINING CHAIR 










_L 



s5/ote y/efv 






front P^jen^ 




DINING CHAIR 

Although orig- 
inally intended 
for the dining 
room, this chair 
may well be used 
in connection with 
the desk illustrated 
a few pages back. 



170 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



..^DINING ARMCHAIR 





TABOURET 

The similarity of 
this tabouret to five 
preceding designs 
will be noted. 

Commence the 
construction with 
the four legs. After 
trimming them to 
a uniform length, 
round off the top 
edges slightly, and 
then mark off and 
cut the mortises for 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 171 



1 






rA50UR£T 



the crosspieces. These crosspieces are all tenoned 
to one-half by two inches. The six slats which are 
one-fourth by one inch need not be 
cut down, but should be let into the 
crosspieces full size for a distance 
of three-eighths of an inch. The 
two sides should be set up complete 
with glue, and clamped until dry, 
after which the remaining slats 
and crosspieces may be placed in 
position and glued. The top 
should be carefully notched, so as to pass neatly 
around the leg pieces, and then fastened by screws 
to the top crosspieces. These screws should be put 
in from underneath and at an angle through the 
crosspieces. Should pine be used for the construc- 
tion, an exception should be made in the wood for 
the slender side slats, and hard wood used instead. 





Mill Bill 


). OF 




PIECES 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


l%x l%x 20^/4 


8 


1 X 2 xlQi/^ 


1 


%xl3%xl3% 


6 


Mx 1 xl2 



BOOK RACK 

It was with the family living-room in mind that 
the design for the book rack was made. The lower 



172 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



two shelves will each hold a row of books on either 
side, the next will keep the current magazines in 













1 




:^==- = ' 


~ II 


i 


^ 


J 


8 y 


^ 
» 




~~"|lf 


sr ' 




^31 


illll 




/p^^^^^=~- 


il 


III 

lllmr 






- 





order, while the top space may be similarly used or 
else assigned to the exclusive use of the unabridged 
dictionary. The two small overhanging shelves are 
convenient for little books and pamphlets. 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 173 



In the construction of this piece much will depend 
on the accuracy with which the ends of the shelves 
and side pieces are finished to the required angle. 
This angle, however, is constant throughout, and 
when once the gauge is set to the proper reading 
a little care and patience will accomplish the 
rest. 

Commence 
with the sides. 
If the lumber 
available does 
not glue up wide 
enough to get out 
the small projec- 
tions at the feet, 
simply glue on 
a small block 
at each corner. 
Mark out the en- 
tire outline, positions of the shelves, dowel-pin holes, 
and the ornamental openings, then proceed to work 
carefully down to these lines, having in mind all the 
while the necessity of obtaining a good clear outline 
at whatever angle the piece is viewed. 

The bottom and the top shelf are the first to be 
made ready and should be fitted to sides with dowel 
pins temporarily placed before the exact lengths of 
the two intermediate shelves can be determined. 




174 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



* 



When these latter and the top have been made 
ready, the assembling may commence. 

Give all the end wood a preliminary coat of glue 
as a filler and when this is dry put the structure 

together. If the ordinary 
long clamps are not avail- 
able, provide some way of 
wedging the sides together 
until the glue sets. Later 
attach the top with screws 
set in from below at an an- 
gle, after which make ready the side shelves and 
brackets. Attach each bracket with glue and brads 
set in from the inside. Glue and nail the shelves to 
these, after which the addition of the small end 
boards will completely hide the nails. 

Mill Bill 
pes. dimensions 

%xl7 X 42 

%x 151/2x28 

%x 15^/^x36 

%x 15y2x24! 

%x 15^/^x22 
2 %x 6 X 14 

2 %xl7 x42 

4 %x 6 x 7 

4 %x 5^/4x13^^ 

MORRIS CHAIR 
The illustration of the Morris chair does not give 
any adequate idea of its roomy comfort, since the 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 175 

two large cushions are not shown. The arm-rests 
are quite low and very wide, thus providing ample 
space for a book or writing-paper. The angle of 




the back is easily adjusted by moving two loosely- 
fitting pegs, which are set into holes bored in the 
rearward projecting ends of the arm-rests. 

The making of this chair should commence with 



176 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



the four legs, which are all of a length and similarly 
cut down on their upper ends so as to pass through 
and support the arm-rests. The long, narrow mor- 
tises for the crosspieces should be very accurately 
marked off and cut from both sides with a sharp 



M0RRI5 ChA\f\ 



1m^ 




/^ronf V/ew 



J/c/e V/e^y 



chisel. Next proceed with the arm-rests, cutting 
the two square holes in each, and then bore the eight 
holes for the adjusting pegs. The two side cross- 
pieces are now in order, and must be carefully 
tenoned to fit the mortises already made in the legs. 
On the under side of the arm-rests and on the upper 
edges of these crosspieces cut the mortises for the 
side slats, which should then be gotten out and 
tenoned to a uniform length. We are now ready to 
assemble the two entire sides of our chair, which 
should be set up with glue and firmly clamped for 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 177 

about eight houi's. The front and back crosspieces 
may now be gotten out, and the two sides connected. 
The back frame consists of two shghtly-tapering 
side pieces and five cross-bars tenoned into the side 
pieces for a depth of one inch. Set up with glue, 
and through each connection drive a couple of wire 
nails with the heads carefully set. Attach this 
frame to the back crosspiece with two stout hinges. 
To support the seat-cushions, two-by-three-fourths- 
inch slats should be arranged as shown. These slats 
rest on two one-inch-square strips which are screwed 
to the inside of the front and back crosspieces. The 
cushions may be ordered already made, or they may 
be made at home from one of the several available 
materials. There are several methods of sewing up 
a cushion for such a chair as this, but as this is 
hardly within the scope of this article, the writer 
would suggest that those who have had no expe- 
rience in this line examine some cushions at the fur- 
niture-store. 

Mill Bill 



NO. OF 




PIECES 


DIMENSIONS 


4 


2l^ X 2y2 X 27 


2 


11/4x614x29^ 


2 


IM X 5% X 30% 


2 


I'M X QV4. X 40^ 


2 


1% X 2 X 33^/^ 


1 


%x 3^/4x21 


S 


% X 2 X 21 


1 


l%x3 x21 



178 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

NO. OF PIECES DIMENSIONS 
8 %X3 X 19 

5 % X 2 X 26 

2 1 X 1 X 24 

SETTEE 

The loose cushion has so many advantages over 
the regular form of upholstering that it has become 
very popular in recent years. A settee or chair 
provided with loose cushions may be arranged so as 
to be comfortable for almost any position the occu- 
pant may assume, and has the further advantage 
that it can always be easily and thoroughly cleaned. 
These cushions may be made from a variety of mate- 
rials such as Spanish leather, pantosote, velour, 
burlap, etc., and are quite attractive in appearance. 
But a shght idea of the comfort of this piece of fur- 
niture can be had from the cut, as the settee is shown 
completely bare. 

The following is the preferable order of prepar- 
ing the various pieces : Start with the corner posts. 
After squaring up to the proper length — giving 
special care to the tops — mark out the location of 
the mortises. It will be noted on the drawing that 
the cross-bar tenons extend slightly beyond the 
corner posts. Those of the front and the two back- 
rails extend into the posts for one and one-quarter 
inches. In forming the feet make a saw cut for a 
depth of three eighths of an inch on the four sides, 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 179 




180 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




and then finish 
with the chisel. 
Having completed 
the corner posts 
take up the cross- 
bars for each and 
fit them to the 
posts, which opera- 
tion will probably 
require more care 
than any other in 
the construction. 
Next prepare the 
front and two 
back-rails, fitting 
them to the corner 
posts as already 
mortised. The 

grooves for the 
four end and eight 
back boards must 
now be cut in 
the cross-bars and 
back-rails, and the 
twelve boards fitted 
thereto. The put- 
ting together may 
now be proceeded 
with. Connect the 



FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 181 

corner posts of each end with the cross-bars, using 
glue at all joints. The two ends thus formed may 
then be set up and connected by the front and two 
back rails (with the eight back boards in position, of 
course). Should there be any question as to the 
stiffness of the joints of the corner posts with the 
rails and cross-bars each corner should be reenf orced 
with a large block firmly secured with glue and 
nails. When the seat is in position these blocks will 
not be seen. To hold the seat boards up nail strips 
on the inner sides of the rails and cross-bars, so set 
that the seat line will fall about a half inch below 
the top of the rails. This slight depression keeps 
the cushions in place. For the seat, or back, one 
long cushion, or three shorter ones, may be provided. 
These must be firmly filled and be of uniform thick- 
ness all over. 

Mill Bill 

pcs. dimensions 

4 3 x3 x35 

2 1^/4 X 8^/4 X 71 

1 IM X 5% X 71 

2 IM X 8^/4 X 80 
2 l%x 5y4: X 30 

12 1/^x41/4x13 

9 % X 8 X 26 

PORCH SWING 

The framework of the swing is largely of two-by- 
four pine. Smooth up the two long runners and 



182 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




FURNITURE YOU CAN MAKE 183 



round the ends slightly. 
Prepare the two cross- 
bars, making the ends 
perfectly flat and square. 
Towards the lower end 
of each of the four cor- 
ner posts a section is cut 
out so that the long run- 
ners will set in half an 
inch, as shown in the end 
view drawing. Mor- 
tises, three-fourths of an 
inch wide and one and 
one-quarter inches deep, 
should then be cut for 
the back rail. 

The pieces may now 
be put together. At 
each comer a pair of 
lag-screws are in- 
serted through the cor- 
ner post and runner into 
the cross-bar. Three- 
eighths-inch screws, with 
a washer under the 
head, are used. Grooves 
can now be cut for the 
five back and four end 



Z7 






I I ikii, 






-«-J 









VM 



I 



8 



y 



J.it3 



5 



iiijiiiiiinLn 



ii 



h 



184 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

boards. After the back rail is prepared and sim- 
ilarly grooved, tenon to fit the mortises in the rear 
corner posts. The arm-rests should now be 
gi^ooved to receive the end boards. After prepar- 
ing the nine small boards, and fitting them to the 
grooves made to hold them, the back rail and arm- 
rests may be put in place. Use glue at all these 
joints, and also wire nails driven in from below or 
behind as required. The connection of the run- 
ners and cross-bars should be reenf orced by a block 
in each of the four corners secured with nails and 
glue. These blocks will not be seen when the bot- 
tom is in position. Strips nailed on the inside of 
the framework set so that the seat-line will fall 
about half an inch below the top of the runners, 
support the bottom. 





^fiLL Bill 


PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


2 x4 x8S 


2 


2 X 4 X 27y2 


2 


2 x4 x20 


2 


2 x4 x22 


1 


iVi X 7M x 70 


2 


1 x5 x 31 


9 


y2x6 xl3 


8 


%x8 x22 



CHAPTER 4 

White Enamel Furniture 



White enameled furniture is not only peculiarly 
appropriate for the bedroom, but is well adapted to 
home construction, inasmuch as soft and inexpen- 
sive woods may be used and any slight defects in the 
wood or in the fitting may be puttied over. The 
use of putty further simplifies the construction by 
making it possible to use nails wherever desired. 
Those who have not seen new wood properly treated 
and coated with white or cream enamel rubbed to a 
flat finish after the modern fashion cannot fully 
appreciate the very fine effect. 

Another possibility with this finish is that a stripe, 
r '^.-'•-^^;;>;Ss;^^'-^^ or even a light stencil design, 
^'^ ^ \ xl of the prevailing tint of the 

bedroom, may be run around 
the fronts of the drawers, a 
good deal after the fashion 
of the inlaid strips with which Sheraton embelhshed 
his lovely furniture. The reader will of course un- 
derstand that the white enamel finish is not impera- 

185 




186 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

tive, but if stains are used, a light effect is desirable 
for such large surfaces. 

The appearance of these pieces will in a large 
measure depend on the accuracy with which the 
curves around the feet are worked out. These 
curves are all elliptical, and an ellipse is just about 
as easy to lay out as a circle if gone about in the 
right way. In the working drawings there is a 
small diagram which shows how to lay out an 
accurate ellipse. Suppose that a string reaches 
from a tack at A, around a pencil-point (P), to a 
tack at B. Then any movement of the pencil that 
keeps the string tight will trace a perfect ellipse. 
The distance between the points A and B are nine 
and three-fourths inches for the seat, ten and three- 
eighths for wash-stand, eleven for bedside-stand, 
and twelve and five-eighths for dresser. 

In sawing out these curves with the key hole-saw, 
proceed slowly, so as to avoid tearing up splinters 
along the outside. The finishing down to line will 
require the use of the spoke-shave and considerable 
sandpaper. The very simplicity of the outline will 
necessitate a sharp edge in order to be effective. 

In the matter of painting and enameling you can 
spend about as much or as little time as you care to, 
depending on the results desired. After thoroughly 
wiping off the sandpaper-dust, touch up any sappy 
spots or knots with shellac, and then fill any defects 



WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 187 

with putty, which, by the way, should never be 
apphed to new wood without having first oiled the 
place to be puttied. 

The first coat should be of good white paint 
(white lead, linseed-oil, and turpentine), which 
should be lightly sanded when dry and then receive 
a second coat. By this time our piece of furniture 
will begin to look quite well. The better enamels 
usually are accompanied by a preliminary "under- 
coat" preparation, which should follow the white 
paint, and is sometimes applied in as many as three 
or four coats, between each of which the piece is 
thoroughly inibbed. The finishing-coat is of the 
enamel proper, and may be left with the gloss or 
rubbed flat. 

The result of all this labor is a beautiful smooth 
surface that will wear for years. A quite satis- 
factory finish, however, may be obtained with a coat 
of white paint, followed by one of prepared enamel. 
In fact, a good smooth surface treated in this way 
will be superior to a rougher one receiving the more 
elaborate finish. 

Many of the pieces in this set will have to be 
glued up from two or more pieces of wood, a feature 
of the work that may be conveniently attended to at 
the mill. 

There is really nothing to prevent the home- 
worker from making a bedroom-set of this sort, pro- 



188 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

vided he will work carefully, slowly, and with 
accuracy. It will be necessary for him to have good 
tools, and a reliable square is absolutely essential. 
Without careful measurements and a thorough 
"truing up" of joints and corners, the work will 
have a very amateurish look which no amount of 
painting and enameling can rectify. All of the 
tools used in making furniture should be of good 
quality, sharp and in the best condition. No great 
amount of skill or experience is needed by the work- 
man, but he does need patience, and must be pains- 
taking. 

Although this bedroom-set is to be finished in 
white enamel, it would be quite possible to finish it 
in the light French-gray enamel which is now so 
popular. This enamel is copied from some of the 
old French enameled furniture, and is very beauti- 
ful. Another suggestion for finishing is to decorate 
the set, after it has been finished in white enamel, 
with small medallions in Wedgewood blue with 
white figures. These would necessarily have to be 
copied from good designs in a first-class furniture 
establishment. This, too, is a very new idea and 
very beautiful when successfully done. 

However, these are merely suggestions. If the 
set is well made and finished in white or ivory 
enamel without any decorations, it will be found to 
be very handsome and satisfactory to the most fas- 



WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 189 

tidious taste. It would be better to finish it in this 
way and have it well finished, than to attempt some 
fanciful decorations which could not be carried out 
with perfect success. 

BEDSTEAD 

As there is considerable variation in the sizes of 
springs and mattresses, the worker should accu- 
rately determine their dimensions before proceeding 




with the bed construction, and then make all other 
measurements conform thereto. The working 
drawing gives the data necessaiy for what is ordi- 
narily called a four-foot-six bed. 



190 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




In order 
that bedsteads 
niay readily 
be taken apart 
for moving-, 
the side rails 
are usually 
connected to 
the foot and 
head by means 
of special 

irons that en- 
able this to be 
done. If four 
pairs of these 
are available, 
it would be 
well to use 
them; other- 
wise it is not a 
serious mat- 
ter, since beds 
are not taken 
apart so very 
often. The 
method of 
connect- 
ing shown in 



WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 191 



the detail view necessitates a mortise and tenon at 
each of the four corners and the setting in of three 
long screws at an angle, the removal of which re- 
quires little time when the bed must be taken 
apart. 

Start the construction with the two leg-posts of 
either end; and, after bevehng off the upper ends 
and tapering the feet, mark out the location of all 
the mortises, none of which extend clear through. 
The three crosspieces should now be trimmed up 
and tenoned to closely fit their respective mortises, 
after which the top crosspiece is to be curved as 
shown and then mortised on its under edge to receive 
the three end boards. The upper edge of the 
middle crosspiece will now be similarly mortised 
and the end boards made ready and fitted thereto. 

The assembling may now be proceeded with. 
Use glue at all connections, 
and have the clamps ready, so 
that they may be applied before 
the glue begins to set. The 
other end of the bed will now be 
made in exactly the same way, 
after which the long side rails 
will be tenoned to match and the 
two ends thereby connected. Square strips screwed 
to the insides of the rails will serve to support the 
slats and springs. 




/^e 4 



192 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



- 


Mill Bill 


cs. 


DIMENSIONS 


2 


oi/^x 


2y2 X 47 


2 


2y2x 


2y2x55 


2 


1 X 


8% X 57 


2 


1 X 


4% X 57 


1 


1 X 


5M X 57 


1 


1 X 


6 x57 


2 


• M X 


8M X 80 


2 


•Ysx 


6 X 15 


2 


%x 


6 x23 


1 


¥2X 


25 xl5 


1 


1/2 X 


25 x23 




DRESSER 



First get out the two sides, work out the curves 

as described, and 
then squarely trim 
up the bottom board 
and the top. As- 
semble these pieces, 
and then nail a pair 
of temporary, diag- 
onal strips across the 
back to keep the 
structure in shape. 
The cross strips be- 
tween the drawers 
are now to be fitted 
in, after which the 
one-inch square strips 
on which the drawers 
slide may be placed. 




WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 193 



The curved back strip and the two uprights that 
support the mirror are next in order; and, after 
mortising them together, secure them to the top by- 
glue and by nails set in from below through the 



Df\E55 




■ 20 

/4i — H 




Mi 



^ 







n 



> 



■g o 



i 



.40i. 



fronf y/e>y 



top board. The back should now be closed and the 
curved foot strip shaped up and secured in place, 
after which the drawers will receive our attention. 
A moment's inspection of any well-made piece of 
furniture will clearly indicate the best and most 
workmanlike manner of connecting the several thin 



194 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

pieces of wood that form the inner portion of the 
dresser-drawer. 

Beveled plate is desirable for the mirror, and if a 
piece of almost the correct size can be reasonably 
secured, change the size of the frame to accommo- 
date it. The mirror feature need not be made a 
part of the main structure of the dresser, but may 
be hung on the wall above, as in the case of the 
dressing-table. 

Mill Bill 

pcs. dimensions 

1 1 X 211/^x43 

2 % X 201/^ X 36 

3 %x 3 x3M 
1 %x 6^Ax20 

1 %x 41/4x39% 
6 1 X 1 xl7 

2 %xll x39% 
2 %x 6^x20 

2 1 X 4^x20% 

X 1 X 5 x35 



WASH-STAND 

The general method of constructing the wash- 
stand is similar to that of the dresser. The two 
sides are first to be made ready in the manner pre- 
viously described, after which the bottom board and 
top are to be trimmed up true and square. Assem- 
ble these four pieces, and then nail two temporary. 



WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 195 



diagonal strips across the back to stiffen the struc- 
ture as the work proceeds. 

The piece upon which the top drawer rests is now 
to be fitted and se- 
cured in place, after 
which put in the ver- 
tical division. Shape 
up and attach the 
curved strip below 
the bottom board. 
The curved back 
strip, the two up- 
rights, and the towel- 
rack should all be 
fitted together before 
placing on the top, 
to which they are at- 
tached by nailing from below. 

After closing in the back, it only remains to fit on 
the door and to make the three drawers. If desired, 
the two smaller drawers may be omitted and a door 
substituted, thus simplifying the construction some- 
what. 

Mill Bill 




PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


1 X 19^/^x33 


2 


7/^x181/^x30 


2 


%xl8 x29 


2 


%x 1 xl8 



196 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



WASnaTAiND 



w 



/d 



lCI 




^ '^ '/^ 



24 
32- 



/z 



1-s^ 




.JO 



front V/efv 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


%X18 Xl6 


1 


%x 3 xl5 


1 


%x 5%x29 


2 


%x 8 xl5 


1 


%xl5 xl6 


1 


%x 4^/4x29 


1 


%x 3 x25 


2 


1 x 4^/4 xlQi/^ 


1 


^/^x iy2x27 



BEDSIDE-STAND 

Accurately draw out the shape of the two sides 
directly upon the wood, and then saw them, all as 
previously described. Squarely trim up the three 
cross boards, mark their positions on the sides, and 



WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 197 



then secure them' in 
position, using glue 
and screws or nails 
according to whether 
the piece is to be 
stained or enameled. 
The top is now in or- 
der, and after finish- 
ing the end wood flat 
and smooth, secure it 
in place. Neatly fill 
in the back of the 
drawer-space and the 
lower compartment, 
which is then ready to have its door fitted. 

If the wood shows any tendency to warp, or is not 
thoroughly dry, fasten two cross cleats to the back. 

The making and fit- 




BED5IDE 5TAND 



J/dG V/eiv 



ting of the drawers 
in the usual manner 
will now require at- 
tention, after which 
the three small slats 
in the elliptical open- 
ing of each side are 
to be placed. As 
mortises are here im- 
practical, see that these slats fit tightly, and then 




198 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



apply at each end some glue and a strong wire nail 
driven in from the inside at the proper angle. 





Mill Bill 


'CS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


3/4x19^/4x20^ 


S 


%xl7 xl8 


2 


V8xl8y2x32 


1 


%x 41/4x17 


1 


%X 10^/4X17 



DRESSING-TABLE 
As usual, the two sides are first in order, after 

which the board that supports the shelf and the 

foot-rail are to be 
trimmed up to their 
respective widths 
and to the same 
length. As soon as 
the top has been 
made ready, the 
two sides are to 
be set up and 
connected. On ac- 
count of the direc- 
tion of the grain in 
that portion of each 
side just below the 
elliptical openings, 

care should be taken not to hammer so vigorously 

as to split the wood. 




WHITE ENAMEL FURNITURE 199 



The sides and bottoms of the spaces for the two 
smaller drawers are now to be made ready and 
glued and nailed in place. The curved back strip 
on top is now to be gotten out and attached. Fill 
in the back of the three drawer-spaces, and then 



JS 



£:nd y/'el^' 







/^ron-f y/ciY 



DRESSING -TABLE- 



snugly fit in the three slats in each end opening, 
securing each slat with glue and a wire nail at each 
end. It now only remains to make and fit the 
drawers — and our table is complete. 

Mill Bill 



PCS. 


DIMENSIONS 


1 


1 X 211/4 X 38^/^ 


2 


% X 201/4 X 30 


1 


%x20 x35 


1 


%x 31/4x381/4 


2 


%x 51/4x35 


2 


1/4 X 9 x20 


2 


1/4 x 4%x20 



200 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 








DRESSING-TABLE SEAT 

This little seat so closely 
resembles the table just de- 
scribed that little need be said 
as to its construction. A back 
on a dressing-table chair is a 
nuisance, and the short backs 
often placed on them give the 

chair a deformed appearance, and are necessarily 

too low to add any- 
thing to the comfort. 
Aside from the 

small slats in the 

oval openings, five 

pieces are all that 

are needed for this 

little seat. The two 

curved strips are 

first secured to the under side of the seat, and then 

the ends are fastened to both. 



DRK5I,NQ-TABLE5EAJ 

f. /<?- ^ L /S 




£ndV}ew 



/6 





Mill Bill 


»cs. 

1 

2 


DIMENSIONS 

ysx \%V2x\%^k 

%x 16^/^x20 
%x 61/4x15 



CHAPTER 5 




Lamps for the Home 

The following lamp designs are presented not so 
much on account of the merit of the particular 
lamps described, but rather to acquaint the reader 
with the general method of construction . fl . 
and to draw attention to the possibilities 
of home carpentry along this line. There 
is probably no field more interesting to the 
home craftsman than the making of lamps 
as the final result is almost always de- 
hghtfuUy surprising. This is largely 
due to the fact that so many excellent ac- 
cessories may be purchased at the stores, 
and an endless variety is possible in the way of 
shades. Thus, wire forms of every desirable shape 
can be had at a slight cost, and any one handy with 
the needle can produce a beautiful silk shade. 

Then again, those who have no electric current 
available may secure a great variety of oil burners. 
The "oil candle" is simply a burner mounted on a 
metal oil container, which, on account of its tubular 
form, may readily be concealed in the woodwork of 

201 



D 



202 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the lamp. A ring is usually provided at the top 
so that the shade may be conveniently supported. 
Other and larger burners may be had with copper 
oil pots that may to good advantage be worked into 
such lamps as the library lamp to be described a 
little later. 

Corresponding to the "oil candle" there has lately 
come on the market an electric socket operated by 
a pull chain and adapted to slip into a candle holder. 
As the flexible conducting cord passes out at the 
side of the socket no wiring is necessary. This 
fixture alone makes possible a great variety of 
effects to the amateur craftsman. 



CANDLE SCONCE 




In the electric candle 
sconce illustrated an ordi- 
nary key socket, such as is 
used on drop lights, is neatly 
boxed in with the key pro- 
j ecting from one side. The 
box is then mounted on a 
small shelf in front of a 
piece of polished brass or 
copper to serve as a reflec- 
tor. When the woodwork 
is neatly finished and a 
frosted candle-shaped elec- 
tric lamp is used, the effect 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



203 



is very quaint and attractive. Such a fixture is in- 
expensive and makes an excellent hall light or side 
light in the dining room or on each side of the 
dresser. 

The back board is first to be prepared. Square 
up the ends and smooth off the end wood. Mark 
the guide lines for the bevel edges, and then plane 
them off, taking due care not to tear off splinters at 
the corners when planing crossways. The shelf 
will next be shaped up, after which bore a half -inch 
hole clear through at the center so that the end of 
the socket will set in. Fasten the shelf to the back 
with two screws set in from behind, and then pre- 
pare the small bracket 
underneath, which is to 
be fastened in place with 
glue and a few nails 
driven in from behind 
and down through the 
shelf, taking care in the 
latter case to so place the 
nails that the box will 
finally hide them. A 
box two inches square 
will then be made of one-quarter inch material 
so as to inclose the socket. A quarter-inch slot 
will then be made in the center of one side so that 
the box may be slipped down over the key of the 




204 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

socket. Bore a five-sixteenth inch hole through the 
back and into the shelf connecting with the hole 
already made through the shelf at the center. Con- 
nect the wires to the socket, and run them out 
through this hole to the back. Place the small box 
over the socket and secure it in place, and then close 
up the slot in the side below the key by fitting and 
gluing in a small piece of wood. The top of the 
box is now in order, and besides being finished up 
smoothly with square edges and corners, should 
receive a large hole in the center, so that the candle- 
lamp may be screwed into the socket. When this 
is fastened in place the woodwork is complete and 
ready for finishing. 

A piece of brass or copper large enough to form 
a reflector should then be secured, shaped up as 
desired and fastened to the back. Those who are 
familiar with the process of etching as taught in the 
schools will find here an excellent opportunity to 
try their skill as the plate may be rendered quite 
decorative by etching some simple, formal design 
around the edges or at the corners, leaving the 
center brightly polished and lacquered. 

PORCH OR HALL LANTERN 

In constructing a hall or porch lantern special 
attention must be given to the matter of ventilation 
if the source of illumination is to be kerosene, other- 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



205 



wise the lamp will 
smoke and overheat 
the lantern. This 
feature is taken care 
of in the accom- 
panying design by 
boring several holes 
in the bottom, about 
five more under each 
eave, and by provid- 





mg four triangular covered open- 
ings in the top, which is to be made 
of galvanized iron or of heavy tin, 
painted a dull black. 

This metal work need not cause 
any one to hesitate, for no greater 
difficulty is involved than that of 
placing a few rivets. The four 
triangular faces of the top are in 
one piece, which is to be cut accord- 
ing to the dimensions given in the 
pattern drawing and then bent 
along the dotted lines. The four 



206 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

vent holes are then cut, and holes drilled for the 
rivets that join the first and last sections. The four 
small pointed roofs over these vents are then cut 
according to the dimensions given, properly shaped 




>Cs.^' 



and riveted in place. After making a ring from 
heavy copper wire with flattened ends and riveting 

it on top, the woodwork 
may be taken up. 

Three sides of the lan- 
tern are each made from 
a single piece, whereas 
the fourth side is in two 
pieces, the lower one of 
which forms the door, 
which extends from the 
base upward as high as 
the over-hanging top 
will permit. Before cut- 
ting the openings for the 
glass, fit all these pieces 
together and see that the 
upper edges are all cut 
off at an angle that cor- 




LAMPS FOR THE HOME 207 

responds with the slope of the top. Lay out the 
pattern for the side openings, and after transferring 
it to the wood, proceed with the sawing. Finish all 
edges accurately and smoothly, and bore the vent 
holes near the top. 

Now prepare the bottom, and after trimming it 
up squarely to size, fasten four half -inch strips to 
the upper side, so that the three sides of the lantern 
may be the more easily connected and the door kept 
from swinging inside. All these pieces may be put 
together, after which the top will be secured with 
about eight screws set in as shown in the small 
sketch. The placing of the glass on the inside is 
now in order, after which the door should be hinged 
in place and provided with some simple clasp or 
knob. A coat of very dark stain to the wood and 
of drop black to the top serve to complete the lan- 
tern. 

A suitable lamp may usually be found in the 
department stores for a small price. If electricity 
is available, it is a very simple matter to hang a 
small globe inside. The lantern may then be hung 
directly on the cord, or if a chain is used the wires 
should be intertwined with the links. 

DESK LAMP 

In considering the advisability of making the 
desk lamp shown in the accompanying illustration 



208 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the reader need not hesitate on account of the metal 
work involved in the construction of the shade. 
This should not hinder the undertaking, however, as 
it is possible to get almost any sort of a shade at the 




department stores, after which the lamp may be 
constructed to match. 

The standard will constitute the chief care. 
Select a piece of straight-grained material an inch 
and a half square and of the requisite length. 
With a sharp pencil mark off the various lines as 
indicated in the detail drawing. Cut down one side 
to line and then the side opposite, after which mark 
the lines for cutting the other two sides, and then 
work them down. Proceed slowly and carefully, 
testing with the try-square frequently as the work 
advances. When the final surfaces have been 
secured, but not before, bevel off the four corners. 
The lower end is now to be reduced to one inch 
square to fit into the base, and a three-eighth inch 
hole is to be bored clear through the center. The 
base block will be next in order. Do not attempt 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



209 



to bevel off the edges until the piece has been 
smoothed off squarely and to the exact size. Accu- 
rately lay out the necessary lines on the sides and 
top before proceeding to cut away the extra mate- 
rial. When finished bore a hole through the center 



DESK LAfAP 





the same size as the one in the standard and another 
in through one side about the size of a lead pencil to 
connect therewith. At each corner on the under- 
side glue on a small block one inch square and a 
quarter of an inch thick. The block on top of the 
base is next to be prepared with a square hole in the 
center to match the bottom of the standard. 
Fasten this piece to the base with glue and a few 



210 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

nails driven in through the base from below, after 
which glue the standard in position, clamping it 
firmly overnight. 

The staining and polishing is now in order, after 
which run in the flexible conducting cord and con- 
nect the socket. A simple way to hold this in posi- 
tion is to procure a piece of brass tubing about two 
inches long and thread or solder it into the end of 
the socket. Slightly enlarge the hole in the top of 
the standard so that this tube may be snugly forced 
in without splitting the wood, and the socket will be 
securely held in an upright position. The four 
brackets that support the shade may be made from 
narrow strips of brass, or from stout wire, bent as 
indicated and fastened with round-headed screws to 
the top of the standard. 



WALL FIXTURE 





— 


i 


L 

« 
^ 


1 


S 





With the present 
design a simple 
method of connect- 
ing shades to ordi- 
nary key sockets is 
introduced that will 
undoubtedly appeal 
to the amateur 
craftsman. A hole 
is cut in the top of 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



211 




the shade large enough for the end of the socket to 
pass through. Four strips of stiff tin, about a 
quarter of an inch wide by an 
inch long, are firmly bound or 
soldered around the socket, 
which is then slipped through 
the hole in the top of the shade. 
The strips of tin are spread 
outward so as to support the 
shade, all as set forth in the ac- 
companying sectional sketch, 
A small screw or tack in each 
piece of tin will prevent the 
shade from rotating on the socket. 

The top and bottom pieces of the shade are first 
to be made ready, and after the holes have been 
sawed out and made smooth, nail some small strips 
around the under side of each top piece and around 
the top side of each bottom piece, in the case of the 
hall lantern. The eight side panels are now in or- 
der, and will be worked out with the scroll saw as 
usual. When all edges have been made smooth 
and square, arrange for holding the colored or 
frosted glass securely in place. If suitable glass 
cannot be obtained, use heavy colored paper. The 
pieces may now be put together with a few very 
fine wire brads and glue. 

In the meantime proceed with the wall bracket. 



212 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



The central arm will be made as in the detail view, 
tenoned on one end, pointed at the other, and 
notched out to hold the crossbar that supports the 
shades. This latter piece will also 
be pointed and similarly notched. 



€}=£ 



When these two pieces have been fitted neatly 
and squarely together, drill two holes for the ends 
of the sockets to fit in and two smaller ones clear 
through for the wires, which are carried along 
through grooves to the central arm, where they 
join and pass to the back. The two wall blocks 



WALL FIXTURE 



-// 



t 






<i r^-^ i ixi 



«!>!> 



ff 



«>r> 



/o 










^-4^i-^ 



are now in order, the smaller one being mortised 
to match the central arm. The curved bracket 
remains to be shaped up, after which the whole 
may be put together, using glue and a few nails 
so placed as to be invisible. The completed wall 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



213 



bracket and the two shades should be suitably 
stained, sandpapered again, filled if the wood is 
open-grained, and sanded once more when dry, 
after which a thorough rubbing with wax completes 
the job. 

In living-rooms with dark woodwork and paneled 
walls the type of wall light shown in the accompany- 
ing illustration is effective from a decorative stand- 
point. 

LIBRARY LAMP 

The illuminant for this library lamp may be 
either kerosene or electricity. If the former is 
used, procure from a dealer in manual training sup- 
plies a suitable oil pot and burner, which are made 

for just this class of 
lamps. The pot is 
usually of copper 
and has a supporting 
flange around the 
top, so that it is only 
necessary to cut a 
large circular open- 
ing in the top of the 
standard and set in 
the pot. The burn- 
ers are of the center- 
draft type and are of high candlepower. Of 
course, almost any good burner may be soldered 




214 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




to a tin can and arranged to give good service. 
If electricity is to be used, one high power lamp 
^^^ ~i , set directly on the top 

of the standard will 
answer. The cord 
^ may then be carried 
downward and out to 
one side under the base. 
Quite the most difficult feature will be the con- 
struction of the shade. The dimensions of one of 
the four sections are given in the accompanying 
sketch. Accurately lay out the pattern on a sheet 
of paper and transfer it to each of the four pieces, 
which may be of several materials. If wood is 
used, the cross grain at the top and bottom must be 
reenforced with strips glued on the inside. Con- 
siderable care will be necessary in fitting the corner 
seams and in sawing out the pattern. 

In making trunks, thin boards are used which are 
composed of three or more thicknesses of veneer. 
This material is very strong, does not warp, and will 
stand all manner of scroll sawing. Another mate- 
rial available is what is known as Beaver Board, 
which is a wood product about three-sixteenths of 
an inch thick and is used instead of lath and plaster 
in building. The choice of the material will largely 
depend on what is most available, and in all cases 
reenforcing corner strips and strips along the lower 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 



215 



edges on the inside will be found desirable. Where 
the corner seams are not well fitted, a carefully 
applied strip of passe-partout tape will hide the 
defects. All edges are to be sandpapered smooth 




before and after painting or staining. Glass is by 
no means necessary for a hning, as colored papers 
and many fabrics answer every purpose. 

Those who do not care to make the shade have 
three alternatives open to them. A shade may be 



216 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

purchased and the four supporting brackets made 
to fit, or one may be made of silk on a wire frame. 
The third plan is to secure the regular electric* 
fixture used on lamps of this sort, which consists of 
a short brass standard with two sockets attached 
and a screw cap on top to hold the shade. In this 
case it is only necessary to screw the standard to the 
top of the woodwork, the brackets being unneces- 
sary. 

The woodwork should start with the base, which 
should be tenoned up squarely, beveled off on top, 
and then built out at the four corners on the under 
side with small blocks. The second block should 
now be placed on this, and then another one of 
about a half inch in thickness, so that a firmer con- 
nection may be made with the four side boards of 
the standard, which pieces are now in order. Trim 
these up to size and fit them together with bevel 
edges. Draw out the pattern and then transfer it 
to each piece. Saw out with the scroll saw and 
finish the edges. Set up the entire standard with 
glue and a very few wire brads. 

The block for the top is now in order, and after 
sawing the large circular opening for the oil pot, 
secure it in place. The four brackets that support 
the shade are now to be made and fitted and drilled 
for the screws. The staining and filling should 



LAMPS FOR THE HOME 217 

now be done, and after each coat has dried, sand- 
paper hghtly. Finish with wax. Place brackets, 
oil pot, burner and shade. 



CHAPTER 6 



Rustic Furniture 

In making rustic furniture, wood having a close 
firm bark should be chosen. Hickory is, of course, 
the most frequently used, but, as the necessary 

pieces cannot be or- 
dered, one must use 
the most desirable 
wood at hand. After 
cutting, the pieces 
should be set aside in 
a dry place until the 
sap dries up. 

Garden Stand, — 
The small garden 
stand is a very sim- 
ple piece to make. 
The top is best made 
from two squares of 
inch wood, fastened 
together with the 
grain running in opposite directions, by means 
of screws set in from below. The three legs are 
then cut the same length and temporarily fitted 

218 



^^^^^? 


^^^^ 


f 


^ 






f 














l^U 


\ 




/fA 


V 




1 




% 



RUSTIC FURNITURE 



219 



together to determine if any slight trimming or 
adjustment is necessary where they cross and are 
attached to one another. The exact method of con- 
necting these pieces will vary in every single case, 
but generally some one side will 
prove more advantageous for 
starting. If the wood is hard, 
small holes must first be made 
for the screws. 

The top may be connected by 
boring three holes in the under- 
side and tapering the ends of 
the legs to fit them tightly; or 
the top of each leg may be 
sawed off at the proper angle 
to allow the table-top to be set 
fiat and then attached with a 
single large screw. The best 
method will be obvious when the crooked pieces are 
all arranged in place. Around the four edges of 
the top are nailed pieces sawed from the sides of a 
small branch with the bark in place. The top 
should be given at least one coat of oil to protect it 
from the weather. 

Rustic Bench, — The seat of the rustic bench is 
made by sawing a wide slab from the side of a large 
log. The bark is allowed to remain on the under 
side, while the top is planed off smoothly. Although 



RU5TIC-5TAND 




i 


) 




r-^ 






1 -tw- 


" 




r — o: ' 






_i 




I 


4- 


W 


•* 


^ 


/ 


k 


-• 


ll- 


Jj}^^ 



220 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



primarily intended for the garden, this bench may 
be made very attractive by finishing the top and 
ends as carefully as possible and then varnishing 






them to bring out the grain. The contrast between 
the dark bark and the light polished surface is very 
pleasing indeed. When so finished the bench may 
be used indoors near the fireplace or in the den. 
After the seat has been made ready and notched 

the underside 



RU5T1C BENCH 

v_/^— - u — 



on 

near each end to re- 
ceive the supports, 
the latter should be 
taken up. Mark 
out the outline and 
positions of the mor- 
tises for the f ootrail. These, together with the tops 
and bottoms, must all be cut at a uniform angle. 







S/cfe y/ettr 



RUSTIC FURNITURE 



221 



which will require some little care. Set the legs in 
position temporarily and then accurately determine 
the correct length of the foot-rail, which must then 




be tenoned on the ends to match the mortises cut in 
the supports. Two rather large tapering keys are 
now to be fitted so that when they are driven home 
the whole will be securely clamped together. Place 
the seat bottom side up, and nail the supports 



222 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




securely into the two slots already prepared for 
them, after which it only remains to drive in the 
keys to complete the piece. 

Rustic Table, — At the outset it may be well to 
state that, in the construction of the rustic table, it is 
not imperative the top be circular in 
form, although a round one is prettier. 
The top is in two thicknesses, the up- 
per one projecting about an inch be- 
yond the lower all around. Each 
layer is made up of three or four 
boards, and the two circles are fas- 
tened together with glue and numerous 
screws set in from the un- 
der side. The grain of the 
two top sections is crossed, 
so that the possibility of 
warping is practically 
avoided. 

The four legs should be 
first cut to length and the 
lower ends rounded, after 
which they are bored for 
the lower and upper cross- 
pieces, the latter for sup- 
porting the shelf. Taper 
the holes very slightly and then work up the eight 
crosspieces to match. The two legs of each side 




RUSTIC TABLL. 



RUSTIC FURNITURE 223 

should be connected and then the two sides con- 
nected, making all of the connections as indicated 
in the detail sketch. The boards for the shelf 
should now be made ready and connected with 
substantial cleats across the under sides, as shown 
in the working drawing. Mark off the positions 
of the legs and then cut out circular notches 
so that the shelf will set down on the upper cross- 
pieces and fit about half-way around the legs. 
Secure it in place with screws set in through the 
crosspieces. Reverse the top, place the assembled 
legs in position, and secure each leg to the top by 
means of large screws set in at an angle. A coat 
of oil or filler and spar varnish on the wood wher- 
ever unprotected by bark will prolong the usefulness 
of the table. 



CHAPTER 7 

Flower Boxes 

Rustic Tub, — To plant flowers in a stiff looking 
box, a tin can or a pail, is to lose half their lovely 
effect when they are in bloom. We should always 

try to provide an attractive 
place for them, because 
much of the time the plants 
have no flowers and no one 
wishes to have an ugly box 
or a rusty pail standing 
around. 

A rustic tub is suitable for 
large plants or even small 
trees, and is very easily 
made. Take a small tub 
such as butter comes in or else a wooden pail with- 
out a handle and cover the outside with slabs of 
wood about two inches wide with the bark on. 
These may be sawn from branches from three to 
four inches in diameter. Have them all exactly the 
same length and fitted closely together so that the 
tub is entirely hidden. If you can find some green 

224 




FLOWER BOXES 



225 



boughs about one-half inch in diameter that will 
stand to be slowly bent half way around a tin can, 
our tub may be provided with feet, as shown in the 
drawing. In this case a space must be left between 
every other or every third slab, and the number and 
width of the slabs should be arranged so that the 
feet will come out right. 

Hanging Fern Basket,— A very pretty hanging 
basket may be made by building up small straight 
sticks with the bark on in the same way that a log 
house is built. The size 
of the basket will de- 
pend largely on the size 
of the fern which you 
wish to grow, but ordi- 
narily the sticks should 
be from twelve to six- 
teen inches long. The 
sizes should taper from 
an inch in diameter for 
those at the bottom to 
half an inch for the top 
ones. In starting the 
construction, nail four of the larger sticks together, 
so as to make a frame with the ends projecting 
about one and a half to two inches. Between the 
two upper sticks place a row of sticks so as to form 
a grating with half -inch spaces. This makes the 




226 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



bottom, and in building up the sides we simply nail 
on two pieces running one way and then two run- 
ning the other, until the desired height is reached. 
Always drive the nails in at an angle, so that the 
nails of the next layer will not interfere when they 
are put in. The best plan is to have the sticks all 
sawn to the proper length before nailing together, 
so that the entire attention may be given to build- 
ing the sides up squarely. Two long, thin branches 
are now to be found and slowly bent so as to form 
the long handles. Nail these to the inside corners, 
and wire the handles together at the top — and the 
basket is done. 

In filling such a basket with new earth it will 

. be necessary to line the inside with moss or leaves 

'^ 'to'^e^^ it in, but after a few waterings the whok 

forms into a solid mass and no trouble will be found. 

Geranium Booo. — For growing geraniums or 

other plants on window-sills or the porch rail, a long 

narrow box is desir- 
able. The best way 
to make an attractive 
box for this purpose 
is to get from the 
planing mill some 
long strips measur- 
ing about three-quarters by one inch. Saw off 
thirteen pieces twenty-four inches long, and eight 




FLOWER BOXES 



227 



6E.RARIUM BOX 
n o^ 



X 



TOP V!£W- 
E4' — 



ll 




SIDE VIEW 



pieces ten inches 
long. Set down five 
of the long pieces 
and nail a short one 
across each end, tak- 
ing due care that the 
long ones are evenly 
spaced and that all 
the ends project 
exactly the same 
amount. This forms 
the bottom, and it is a simple matter to add a pair of 
sides and then a pair of ends until they are all in 
place. Use the square to make sure that the sides 
and ends are going up squarely, and always nail in 
at an angle so that the nails of the next pair of strips 
will not interfere. 

A good coat of dark green or brown paint will 
greatly preserve the box. Line with leaves or moss 
when first filling with new earth. 

WOODEN JARDINIERES 

Every mother loves plants and flowers, and if 
the young carpenter wishes to make a present that 
will be sure to please, just make one of these 
wooden flower boxes, paint it dark brown or green, 
and then present it with an oleander or small 
orange tree growing in it. 



228 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

There is just one feature in the construction that 
will present any difficulty and that is due to the fact 
that the edges of the four side pieces are not exactly 

^ square with the sides. This 

is on account of the slant. 

After studying the draw- 
ing you will notice that 
two of the side boards must 
be narrower than the other 
two, because they fit inside, 
just like the ends of any 
box. The only way to do, 
therefore, is to stand the 
four pieces up and then plane the edges of the 
two that fit inside until they fit closely. The 





!iii^^ 


i 




JARDI^^IELRI 



FLOWER BOXES 



229 



edges of the two wider pieces should not be 
trimmed down until all four are nailed together, 
when they can be worked down even with the 
outside. After fitting in the bottom, the four 
tapering pieces with the holes in them are to be 
made and nailed on. As these large holes come so 
near the ends, one had better bore them before 
sawing the pieces off, so as to prevent splitting. 
As soon as the end of the bit is felt coming through, 
turn the piece over and bore from the other side, 
so as not to tear off splinters. Nail on the small 
block at each corner of the bottom — and the box 
is done. 

The construction of the second jardiniere or 
flower box will proceed in the same way, except 
that we must use the fret saw to cut out the curves. 
After marking out the necessary one-inch squares, 
locate the center points 
marked with the black 
dots. Place the point of 
the compasses on these, 
and you will find that 
the curves shown in the 
working drawing will fall 
right in place. Saw out 
two sides according to the 
heavy lines, allowing just a little for planing off 
after nailing* up. The other two sides will be ex- 




230 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

actly the same, except that their width must be 

reduced by the 
thickness of the 
other two sides, 
otherwise our box 
will not be square 
when we look 
down upon it. Set 
the heads of the 
nails deeply. Ap- 
ply a coat of lin- 
seed oil inside and 
out, and when this 
is dry putty up the 
holes over the nails. Paint brown or green as 
desired, giving the inside several coats as a pre- 
servative. 




WINDOW BOXES 

In making flower boxes for windows one en- 
counters a variety of conditions. Very frequently 

window sills slope 
downward toward 
the outside, in which 
event the bottom of 
the box must be set at 
a corresponding angle. 




FLOWER BOXES 



231 



This design can be used to advantage where the 
sill is of such a depth that the box can be set back 
far enough to bring the inner surface of the front 
board into contact with the face of the sill. Care- 



through afr/p 




fully mark out the shape of the front board, and 
then work it out, finishing all edges sharp and 
square. The shape of the two end boards will, of 
course, depend on the depth and angle of the sill. 
In the sectional view is shown the arrangement of 
the spout for carrying off the drippings. In order 
to conceal this, a groove should be cut on the inner 
side of the front board, and a hole bored in the 
bottom. Put the whole together with screws, using 
those with round heads in front. Before lining 
with zinc, a coat of paint will add greatly to the 
life of the box. If one is fairly f amihar with the 



232 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

use of the soldering iron, there ought to be no diffi- 
culty in placing this zinc lining. This, however, 
can be readily attended to at the tinsmith's. The 
upper edge of the lining should be well secured to 
the inside of the box by means of galvanized or 
tinned tacks, so as to prevent rusting. The box 
may be stained Flemish green or any color desired. 
Where the window sill is of fair depth and has a 
square edge, such as a dressed-stone sill, the third 
design may be used to advantage. On the under 

side of the bottom, 
and at right angles 
thereto, a four-inch 
board is attached, 
and then three 
wooden brackets placed in position as shown. This 
arrangement makes the box appear as though sup- 
ported by these brackets, whereas the actual fasten- 
ing is accomplished by setting in two screw eyes in 
the back, which are then tied by wire to two similar 
screw eyes set in the wooden part of the sill. ( See 
the sectional view.) The two front corners may 
seem a trifle elaborate at first sight, but in reality 
their construction will be found quite simple. 
After the tongues and grooves have all been fitted 
in place a wire nail should be driven in at the top 
and bottom, so as to hold them together. The 
bottom, back and ends are all plain boards, and in 




FLOWER BOXES 



233 



putting these together it is preferable to use screws. 
The arrangement of the drain is clearly indicated. 
This is a very attractive design and is well worth a 
little effort on the part of the one doing the work 
to make it carefully and neatly and finish it up in 




good, workmanlike fashion. Make all measure- 
ments accurate and all fittings true and exact. 

When the angle of the sill is too great, or the 
width too little, it is usually best to make the bottom 
of the box square 
with the sides, and 
then provide a 
screw eye at each 
of the two front 
corners, so that the 
box may be held in place by means of two chains, 
as shown in the diagram to the left. All of 




234 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

the lines are quite simple, but in order to bring 
them out fully, care should be taken to have the 
edges of the various boards sharp and square. A 
hole should be bored in the middle of the bottom 







f 








A 
















xV ^ 








#■ 1 






i 




-fi 


l- 


/ 


^ 








. 


I 


1 






— \ 


u> 


Jz 


J/// 





board near the front, to accommodate the drip 
spout, which should be soldered tightly to the zinc 
lining, and which should preferably extend a trifle 

below the bottom of 

the box, so as to keep 
the drippings away 
from the wood. 
Stain dark brown or 
Flemish green. The depth of all these boxes may 
vary from four to seven inches and the width from 
five to twelve inches. Of course the dimensions of 
the window where the box will be placed will gov- 




FLOWER BOXES 235 

ern this. The lumber used should be about an inch 
in thickness. 

The long narrow box is for use along the porch 
rail, and the construction is so simple that nothing 
need be said in regard thereto. To hold securely in 
place, a screw should be set in at each end through 
the projecting ends of the bottom board into the 



__ ItlJ^^ 




/y 




! «\. 













porch rail. A good substitute for the metallic 
lining consists of thoroughly coating and impreg- 
nating the inside and drip holes with heavy crude 
oil or tar residue, such as may be obtained from the 
gas works. Two or more applications should be 
given, after each of which the box should be placed 
in the sun until thoroughly dry. 



CHAPTER 8 

Bird Houses 

To entice the birds to nest about our homes two 
things are equally necessary — the first is to provide 
the proper sort of a house and the second to place 
it in a suitable location. A woodpecker or a flicker 
invariably take up lodgings at the bottom of a deep, 
dark hole, while the robin and the phoebe prefer 
lots of light, and a house to suit them must have 
the whole side knocked out. The same radical dif- 
ference in taste is displayed in the matter of loca- 
tion. A catbird likes to be near the ground among 
shrubbery, while the house-finch, true to his name, 
must live high up near the eaves. It will therefore 
be apparent how important it is, before commenc- 
ing actual construction, to make a general survey 
of one's neighborhood to ascertain the different 
kinds of birds that are available and to determine 
the most suitable points at which to place the new 
houses. In doing this one should remember that 
unless a great deal of space is at one's disposal it is 
hardly to be expected that more than one family 
of any species can be secured, except in the case of 

236 



BIRD HOUSES 237 

martins, which are noted for their social instincts. 
With this single exception all of our common birds 
have a marked dislike for others of their own 
species, particularly during the breeding season, 
although it is not uncommon to see different sorts 
nesting quite close together. 

For some reason best known to themselves wrens 
■and bluebirds dislike to raise a second brood m the 
same nest, and as these birds raise two broods each 
year, several nests should be provided if we wish to 
have the family remain with us. Most birds are 
naturally quarrelsome and it is always best to pro- 
vide lots of houses. 

It is a common error to make bird houses too 
ornamental, with the result that they fail to har- 
monize with their surroundings-a serious detect m 
the opinion of most birds. The inherent idea of 
self preservation usually results in the selection ot 
quarters as unobtrusive as possible, and it is for this 
reason that a bird house made from an old log is so 
often found tenanted. • 

Loq Houses.— A very successful house ot this 
type may be made by sphtting a log in two and 
then hollowing out the two halves with a gouge, so 
that a deep, pear-shaped pocket will be formed 
when they are put together. The log should be 
quite dry, five or six inches in diameter, and about 
?wo feet long. Saw the ends off at an angle so as 



238 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



to shed the water, and fasten 
the two pieces together with a 
screw at each end. When 
necessary these may be re- 
moved for cleaning the nest. 
The accompanying diagram il- 
lustrates the proper form of 
cavity, which should be marked 
out from a pattern so that 
both halves will be exactly the 
same. The seam should be 
light-proof, and in order to 
keep out moisture it is advis- 
able to cover the top with a 
piece of zinc or a shingle. 
Another very successful bird house may be made 

from a log having a decayed center. A large 

opening is to be cleaned out from 

end to end and the top sawed off 

at an angle, after which a project- 
ing lug should be formed with the 

saw at the lower end as illustrated. 

In fastening the house in place a 

screw should be put in through 

this lug and another at the top 

before the roof is put on. This 

latter should be large enough to 

shed the water, and the bottom is 





BIRD HOUSES 



239 



to be fitted in in a manner that 
will permit of its removal for 
cleaning. This may be accom- 
plished by securing it in place 
by driving in about three nails 
through the sides so as to en- 
gage the bottom board. If the 
proper length nail is chosen and 
the heads allowed to project 
about a quarter of an inch they 
may be readily withdrawn when 
it is desired to remove the bot- 
tom. 

After having placed the 
house, pour in a little clean sawdust to facilitate the 
building of the nest. 

The most important consideration in the making 
of a bird house suitable for nesting is to have the 
floor space and depth of the proper dimensions, and 
to provide an opening of the requisite diameter at 
the correct distance above the bottom. The fol- 
lowing table is taken from data compiled by the 
U. S. Biological Survey and will be found of great 
assistance in securing the proper proportions. 




240 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 







1 


:ntran( 


:e 


HEIGHT 




FLOOR 




ABOVE 


DIAMETER ABOVE 


SPECIES 


SPACE 


DEPTH 


FLOOR 


ENTRANCE GROUND 


Bluebird 


5x5 


8 


6 


11/2 


5-10 ft 


Chickadee 


4x4 


8-10 


8 


lys 


6-15 " 


Crested flycatcher 


6x6 


8-10 


8 


2 


8-20 " 


Dipper 


6x6 


6 


1 


3 


1-3 " 


Flicker 


7x7 


16-18 


16 


2^^ 


6-20 *' 


Hairy woodpecker 


6x6 


12-15 


12 


1^2 


12-20 " 


House-finch 


6x6 


6 


4 


2 


8-12 " 


House wren 


4x4 


6-8 


1-6 


% 


6-10 " 


Martin 


6x6 


6 


1 


21^ 


15-20 " 


Red-headed woodpecker 


6x6 


12-15 


12 


2 


12-20 " 


Tree swallow 


5x5 


6 


1-6 


11^ 


10-15 " 


Tufted titmouse 


4x4 


8-10 


8 


ly* 


6-15 " 


White-breasted nuthatch 


4x4 


8-10 


8 


ly* 


12-20 " 



Woodpecker House. — For such birds as wood- 
peckers, nuthatches, titmice and chickadees a deep 
narrow nest is essential. The 
accompanying working draw- 
ing gives the dimensions for the 
largest size — that adapted to 
the industrious red-headed 
woodpecker, but the reader will 
have no difficulty in making the 
necessary reductions to bring 
the house into conformity with 
the foregoing table for the 
other members of this family. 
All of the pieces may be cut from two boards, if 
they are marked out as indicated in the drawing. 
Use three-quarter-inch lumber, as it is a great mis- 




BIRD HOUSES 



241 



take to make bird houses of thin box material that 
only warps so as to make the seams gape after the 



REDHEADED WOODPECKER HOUSE 



*-/o 



Abof 



^;^ /y-0/?/ 1 



^^ 



3ac/t 



\ 



27 



-j^^ 



f/oar 



=^iJ 



J/c/e 



X 



^/c/e 



•2^ 



-^2i- 



■22 



first rain. Birds will not tolerate a house with open 
seams or cracks. 

The distinctive feature of this house is the 
method by which the bottom is arranged so as to be 
readily removable when it is desired to 
clean out the house in the spring for 
new tenants. The bottom board is 
made just large enough to slip inside 
and carries a wooden button pivoted 
on a screw on the underside. A 
square groove is cut on the inner sur- 
face of both the front and back boards, 
so that when the button is turned its 
ends will engage these grooves and 
hold the bottom securely in place. 
Birds of the woodpecker family are 
especially industrious and usually build a new house 




242 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




each year. It will therefore be 
apparent that adequate facili- 
ties for cleaning are quite nec- 
essary if we expect the same 
birds to return. 

The construction is otherwise 
too simple to require comment. 
Nail together securely, set the 
heads of the nails deeply and 
putty over. A coat of green, 
dark gray or brown paint will 
add not only to the life but to 

the appearance of the house, and a simple strip run 

around the front will aid greatly in relieving the 

plainness which is unavoidable in deep houses of 

this sort. 

When the house is to be 

placed in a tree, a good plan 

is to cover it with bark, or 

else construct it from pieces 

of wood from which the 

bark has not been re- 
moved. 

As a woodpecker gathers 

no nesting material, a little 

sawdust should be placed in 

the bottom. 

Bluebird House, — The bluebird as well as the 




BIRD HOUSES 



243 



woodpecker has a preference for nesting in a deep 
cavity. The accompanying sketches illustrate a 
house adapted to their needs, designed to be placed 
on a pole or on the stump of a branch in a tree. 
Bluebirds, it may be stated, appear to have an 



^8 —^r-6 



Jfoof 



/foof 



F — 



■/OM 



rronf O 



n f/oor 



^Z 



-/o^ 



-r- 



^/We 



"—P/z 



S/c/e 



tUMBER DIAGRAMS 
5^ BLUEBIR^ H0U5E: 



aversion for a house that is suspended from above. 

The special feature in the design of this house is 
the provision made for cleaning — a matter too 
often overlooked in planning bird houses. Instead 
of attaching the bottom to the sides, it is securely 
nailed and braced on the top of a pole. The house 
slips on over the bottom, and is prevented from 
dropping down too far by four small strips nailed 
around the inside. A hook and eye at each side 
holds it securely in place, and at the same time 
makes it possible to quickly remove the house for 
cleaning. 

The entire house may be readily worked out from 
two three-quarter-inch boards, as shown in the lum- 



244 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 




ber diagram. First nail the four sides together, 
and then fit on the top. Fit all seams closely, and 
cover the ridge with a strip of 
zinc or tin to shed the water. 
It is a good plan in sawing out 
the entrance to make the out- 
side diameter somewhat larger 
than the inside, as this will 
tend to keep the water from 
trickling inside during a driv- 
ing rain. 

This house may also be 
painted a quiet shade of gray, 
green or brown, or else covered with bark. Always 
place it with the back toward the prevailing winds 
if these are noticeable. 

House for Jenny Wren, 
— The wren is usually re- 
garded as one of the birds 
most easily enticed into 
a bird house. They will 
sometimes take up quar- 
ters in an old tomato can 
set on a fence post, if the open end is closed 
and a small entrance is provided instead. They 
prefer considerable shade and usually locate 
from six to ten feet above the ground. A house 
adapted to their needs will also answer for a 



Y///y////^////A 



EZ2 



f— ' 



2^ 




WREN n0V5t, 



BIRD HOUSES 



245 



house-finch if placed near the eaves of a building. 
In the accompanying illustrations a simple 
design is presented for a wren house, which has a 
form of entrance that seems to appeal to the bird's 
idea of safety. The entrance is through the gable, 
which is left open, and then through a square open- 



LUM5EB/0R WPXNH0U5E 




ing cut in what may be termed the rear of the attic 
floor. 

The lumber diagram shows exactly how to cut 
each piece. Only two three-quarter-inch boards 
are necessary, and the only feature of the construc- 
tion that will require any particular care will be the 
fitting of the roof. Before putting this on, how- 
ever, a small strip should be nailed on each of the 
side walls to support the attic floor, which is not to 
be nailed in place. This arrangement permits of 
its removal when it is desired to clean out the nest. 

Nesting Shelves.— The phoebe and barn swallow 



246 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 



prefer to nest under the 
eaves, and require noth- 
ing more than a Httle 
nook or corner. The 
accompanying sketches 
illustrate a suitable 
form of nesting shelf, 
the construction of 
which is very simple. 
If several of these are 
to be put up, make one 
or more with one side 
open as well as the 
front. 

Nest Shelter. — A still more open form of nesting 
place is the "shelter." 



V' 1 



LUMBER rOR NEST 5nELF 

Z 



J'/c/e / J/afe 



— 7 



/O - 
-24 



f/oor 



7— 



When placed in the 
shrubbery, song spar- 
rows, catbirds and 
brown thrashers are 
likely to use it. Rob- 
ins may also appro- 
priate it when placed 
on one of the 
branches of a large 
tree. 

The lumber diagrams show just what lumber to 
order, and how to cut each piece. As in the other 



/^oof 



-/o 



3acA 



Zj^ 



/^ 



^ 



BIRD HOUSES 



247 




houses three-quarter inch 

material is used. First 

shape up the ends, sawing 

out the entrances with a 

fret saw, and then prepare 

the bottom, sawing the ends 

off perfectly square. Nail 

these securely together, and 

then put on the roof boards, 

covering the ridge with a strip of zinc or tin. A 

small strip of wood should then be nailed on along 

each of the two sides to hold the nesting material in 

position. 

When placed in the brush this nest is best secured 
on the end of a short pole set firmly in the ground. 
Martins.— As previously stated martins are by 
far the most social birds we have. They always 
live in colonies, and only an apartment house will 
suit them. To make an attractive martin house is 
quite an undertaking, and while space is not avail- 
able for plans and descriptions, it may be stated 
that to be successful ample provision should be 
made for cleaning, and the house should be placed 
about twenty feet from a building and on a pole 
fifteen to twenty feet high. 

In conclusion it will not be amiss to remind the 
reader that there are other attractions for birds in 
addition to providing suitable houses. Thus a food 



248 CARPENTRY FOR BEGINNERS 

shelter, where lettuce leaves, seeds, grain, or some 
suet may be placed, is particularly desirable in cold 
weather when food is scarce. In summer time a 




/^oof 



/2 



/foof K 
L 



-/2 



4-4- 



LUMBERfOK-NE5P5HELT£i^ 



bird bath, consisting of a shallow pond two or three 
feet across, is a great attraction, and it is always 
advisable to provide nesting material such as bits of 
string, small feathers and tiny scraps of rag. 



THE END 



©32 82 ' 



\^ 



vO o. 



^ (S 'i\ 



s. 



:w^^ J 



.%' 



s^- 









v>. 



-^^ 






• ^■p 



•^^ V"' 



'b. ' • 



.^ "'-^^ 



1% X. 



,^-^ 



.^^■ ■/-. 



"-^^ ^\^ 



„-^ 



c,^-^ 






.^~* '''t.. ' 



'A V 



V 

A-v- c " " ^ « O 



iNN- 



■^,. c^ 



-^y. c^^ 







x*»* J" '^ 



C" . 




















^ i*^ 

^V^^^ 



V' 



r 



>• ....A;---\/.....\^-;y' \^;/ 
^^* .'^^'"^^ '•-^E*^' ^^^'% °^«^*- .^^-v 








°o 



L*' 



-OV* 














4 o 

\-^' -. '--w /\ '"W-" A 



^ol 



-o v^ : 




0^ . 



C" . 



* o 






^ov^ 



o - o ^ '<^ 




N. MANCHESTER 
INDIANA 46962 



rER. , % 

'62 J ^ 





LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
jjlljilll 




008 943 475 



